


They Didn't Know We Were Seeds

by Lucy_Luna



Series: Rubble Flowers [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Animal Death, BAMF Women, Drama & Romance, Duelling, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Marauders' Era, Murder, Mystery, Secrets, Sexual Content, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2018-10-08 19:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 92
Words: 196,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10394319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy_Luna/pseuds/Lucy_Luna
Summary: 'I'm not dead,' is his first thought upon waking. His next thought, after opening his eyes and seeing the mold-blackened ceiling of his childhood bedroom, is, 'What the bloody–?' He touches his neck. It's whole, slender – like a child's throat – and just as smooth. His third, and final thought before the banging at his door starts, is: 'Did any of it happen at all?'





	1. Planted

'I'm not dead,' is his first thought upon waking. His next thought, after opening his eyes and seeing the mold-blackened ceiling of his childhood bedroom, is, 'What the bloody–?' He touches his neck. It's whole, slender – like a child's throat – and just as smooth. His third, and final thought before the banging at his door starts, is 'Did any of it happen at all?'

-o-O-o-

For a week, he spends all his waking hours trailing his mother and helping her with chores. Partly he does it because it's been so long since he last saw her, but, mostly, he does it because he does not know what else to do with himself. He was a child so long ago. His most vivid memories of the time are of following after cascade of red in play (Lily), cowering against walls during blow-out rows between his parents (he's thankful he's not yet born witness to one), and dull hours spent picking the ever-present grit of Cokeworth from beneath his nails (an activity he has begun to do once again).

Eventually, his mother grows tired of having him for a shadow. He should have expected as much. She never much liked him.

"Have you and Lily rowed?" she asks as she pulls on a jacket.

Severus, from his spot on the stairs watching her, frowns. "No."

His mother pauses with her hand on the doorknob of their front door. Her scuffed-up purse swings like a slowing pendulum on her wrist. Cauldron-black eyes piercing, she says, "If that's the truth, I suggest you go play with her for the afternoon. I have shopping to do."

Severus felt panic well inside him. He couldn't– He wants to so badly, but– "Can't I come with you?" he asks, internally cringing at how much it sounds like a childish whine.

Her lips press into a little more than a dash of a line. Firmly, she tells him, "You do not let hurt feelings fester in a friendship, Severus. That's how you end up with enemies."

Severus scowls, mulish and annoyed. He still can't figure out how he ended up here, near thirty years in the past, a little boy, his mother alive, but he does know he's far more aware of how friendships can fall apart and enemies can be made than the woman before him. Still scowling, he says, "Sometimes, you can apologize and a friendship will still end. That doesn't mean you're enemies after, even when you're very, very angry at them for giving up on you. It just means you went too far and you have no one but yourself to blame."

His mother's lips part in surprise at his very grown up words.

Severus stands up. "I'm going to go to the park."

-O-

Lily is there. Severus's knees lock and he can't move another step. (Un)Luckily, Lily spots him not long after. She gets up from the swing she's been twisting and twirling on and approaches with something not quite a smile on her face.

"Hello," she says. "I haven't seen you in a while."

The hairs on Severus's neck stand. There's something not quite right. After a few moments of silence, he says slowly, "I haven't seen you in even longer."

Lily's brow furrows. "Oh?"

"He has your eyes. It was infuriating to see them peer out of James Potter's face," Severus tells her.

A few shades paler than before, Lily starts, "Sev, what are you talk–"

"I am not a fool, Lily," he cuts in, vicious and angry and so, so disappointed that she's trying to debase herself by pretending to be something she's not. "You are the same as me. We have both died and come back."

Lily, still pale, but anger sparking in her eyes, spits, "We're nothing alike. I died for my son. Who did you die for? Your _Lord_?"

It's not a funny question, but all the same, Severus laughs. Laughs until he's breathless and aching and on his knees. Finally, when he can speak again, he says, "If you must know, I died for your son as well."

When his eyes are no longer blurred with tears, he looks up at her. Lily stares down at him as if he's a stranger. He supposes, after over twenty years apart, they are.

-o-O-o-

After their disastrous reunion at the park, Severus returns to following his mother around their home. She eyes him suspiciously these days – more so than before. Sometimes, Severus wonders what she's looking for exactly. Some kind of sign that he's sick? That he's an imposter? Unfortunately for her, she'll never find it. He's his mother's son. He has her dark eyes and angular build, caustic tongue, and innate grasp for the subtle magics, like potions.

All that has changed is he is no longer a little boy in anything but body.

-O-

A while later, Lily turns up at his door. Severus frowns. She is the last person he expected to be on the other side. Fingers lingering on the chipped and dented edge of the door, he tells her, "You shouldn't be here. Your parents will never let you leave your house again if they know you came to Spinner's End."

Lily cocks an eyebrow. "A grounding is what you're trying to scare me off with? Please, Severus. I faced off against Voldemort before I died. My parents are as scary as kneazles these days." Then, taking a step forward, Lily uses the few centimeters she has on Severus to lord over him. "Besides, who's going to tell them I came here? You?" she demands.

He bristles. Pushing his face into hers, he's just about to tell Lily, " _Yes, I will!_ " when an old recollection hits Severus like a hippogriff. Across the street, an old widow lives with her sister. She was once the bane of his childhood – tattling to his father when he got in fights with neighbor boys or did something naughty like kick one of the street's stray dogs. He falls back and smirks. Severus then turns his gaze past Lily's perplexed countenance and points to the townhouse across the street. "Mrs. Hatman, I suspect. She's quite the busybody."

"Then we better leave before she catches sight of me," Lily replies fiercely.

Severus sighs. They may not be friends any longer, but a part of him will always care for her. That part rallies against the larger part of himself who wants to slam the door in her face and let her get in trouble. Making a split-second decision, he pulls Lily inside. He figures they can sneak out the back door in a moment and climb the garden wall to escape the hawk-like eyes of Mrs. Hatman (and his mother). While he closes the door, he tells her quietly, "Go wait for me in the living room. I have to tell Mum it was just a salesman."

Lily rolls her eyes, but does as she's told.

Just as he'd predicted would happen, as soon as Lily is out of sight, his mother is standing in the doorway of the kitchen drying her hands with a rag. "Who was it?" she asks.

Severus keeps his face perfectly calm as he tells her, "Just a salesman. I told him you weren't home."

His mum nods. "Good lad." He accepts the praise with a flash of a smile before he turns toward the living room. His mother asks, "What are you doing? I thought you were going to help me wax the floor."

He sighs. "Can't I go outside instead? I helped with all the other chores today."

His mother raises an eyebrow. "Oh, now you want to go outside? After days of skulking about home?"

Severus stuffs his hands in the pockets of his too-small pants and does his best not to growl at his mother like a savage. "Please?" he grits.

She sighs in a decidedly exaggerated manner (whether she is trying to express amusement with him or annoyance, he is not sure. Years apart has made reading his mother more difficult than he first expected upon waking in the past). "Very well." Turning away from him, she calls, "Be home in time for dinner, Severus."

"Yes, Mum."

-O-

Boosting Lily over the brick wall of the garden, he asks, "What's brought you by?"

"I think it's just us two," she says.

Accepting the hand that is offered, Severus lets Lily help pull him up onto the edge of the wall. Together, they hop down onto the street behind his family's garden. He drawls, "Really? You think so?"

Lily glares at him. "Yes," she says. "If anyone else was like us, you'd think they'd have come to kill us or see if we're like them by now."

"Perhaps," Severus agrees. "Or their plans may not involve killing us. They may not be as clever as you or I. There's also a chance they think they are all alone in this unlike us."

She stopped mid-step and turns to scrutinize him. "You knew I would be like you when you woke?"

Severus stares back. "No," he answers slowly. "But I…" he looks away, to the smog-choked sky above them. It's not comforting – never had been, either – but its presence in his childhood had been a steady one and it is something that he can trust to not change on him as he finds the words to explain to Lily the pull, the fear, the denial. "After I woke, all I wanted to do was go to that stupid park. I thought – felt – I would find you there waiting for me. And it wasn't just because of memories of our childhood that I believed that."

Lily moves a little closer. "I had the feeling I needed to go wait there for you when I woke up too."

He tentatively reaches for her hand. Lily looks dubiously at it, then, gingerly, places her fingers in his wanting palm. He grips them and finds strength in their solid warmth. Lily is real. _This_ is real. Softly, Severus murmurs, "I don't know anything. I just woke up here."

"Me too," Lily admits.

He asks, "Why are we here? What do you think we're supposed to do?"

Lily's mouth pulls into a thoughtful pucker. "To be better," she answers after a long silence. "To do better."

"How do you know that?"

She shrugs. "I don't," she admits. "It's just…"

"You have a feeling?" Severus suggests.

Lily's head dips in agreement. "You have that feeling too, don't you?"

He closes his eyes. "Yes," he admits.

Just as Lily's felt it, he has too. Something tells him they are here for no other reason than to be better, to do better than they had before. The future is in the palms of their small hands. It is an overwhelming knowledge, but, at least, they can take comfort in knowing they are not alone in the endeavor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	2. Germinating

They sit on the overhang outside Lily and Petunia's bedroom window. Occasionally, a summer breeze passes by, ruffling their long hair and jimjams. Under the cover of the night's darkness, they trade their Hogwarts letters and talk in whispers of what's to come.

"Do you think you'll be sorted into Slytherin?" Lily asks after a time.

He eyes her sideways. If Severus is honest with himself, he's not sure he will be placed there any longer. So much of what he did during the wars was characteristic of a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin. Yet… Severus wants to be a Slytherin. Being a part of the Slytherin house had an integral part in shaping him into the man he is today. To imagine going anywhere else feels ungrateful. Like he would be turning his back on all it taught and gave him.

Finally, he says, "Perhaps."

The barest hint of amusement flickers across Lily's face. "Is 'perhaps' really all you have to say on the subject?" she questions, as she playfully digs her elbows into the space between his ribs. Unfortunately, Severus isn't expecting it and can't stop himself from gasping in pain. Lily goes stiff. "You were in another fight, weren't you?"

Severus can't stop from grinning like a werewolf who's caught his prey. "I got the wanker in the  _face_."

Lily sighs. "You're a grown man, you shouldn't be fighting schoolchildren."

"I've told you!" he hisses, "they start it! What am I supposed to do? Let them shove me around? Lily, get your head out of your arse. I'm not just going to stand there and get beaten to a pulp, just because I'm technically forty and they're twelve-year-old boys."

She says nothing. He fidgets, then, finally, asks, "You don't let that twit sister of yours insult you and get away with it just because she's thirteen and you're actually twenty-two, do you?"

"…Not every time."

Severus gently knocks their knees together, drawing Lily out of her reminiscing. "I don't like fighting them." Lily turns her head and stares back at him, gaze uncertain. Almost disbelieving. It stings, just a little, knowing she doesn't trust his word – after everything he did for her and her son. "I was a professor to children like them. I have a very good idea what their home lives are like," he says, pointedly leaving out he'd once been the same as those boys – is one of them again. "I know what kind of thoughts, feelings, and impulses fill their heads."

He takes a breath and searches Lily for any indication what he's saying is getting through to her. "But just because I understand, and feel sympathy for them, does not mean I'm going to let them hurt me. What good would that do anyone? It wouldn't do any, that's what. If I let that happen, they could very well end up killing me. Then where would they be? In prison! And you? Alone."

Her face takes on a stricken shade. "I just…" Lily looks to her knees. "I don't like it. It's not right."

"There are many things in the world that aren't right," Severus replies.

She opens her mouth as if to argue, but, in the end, closes it. Lily knows he's right. As much as they may want that perfect world that Lily seems to think they live in most of the time, it does not exist. Thing aren't always right or fair and so, sometimes they have to do things that aren't always right or fair in turn.

-o-O-o-

The moment James Potter and Sirius Black waltz into his and Lily's compartment on the Express, Severus wants to punch them in their faces (Black especially). The only reason he doesn't is because Lily pinches the back of his hand hard enough to draw blood. Ripping his gaze away from the duo, he glares at Lily. She smiles with feigned innocence while he brings his hand up to his face for careful study. He glares at the irritated, but unbroken skin. She didn't have to pinch him like a misbehaving  _child_.

As he completes his inspection, Lily turns her grin on her (would-be?) husband and Black. "Hello," she says.

Potter smiles back. "Mind if we share with you?" he asks. "There aren't any other compartments with two free seats."

"Of course," Lily chirps. Getting up, she offers her hand to Potter. Magnanimously, Potter leans in and presses a kiss to the back of it in lieu of shaking it. When he straightens back out, he introduces himself. "I'm James Potter, by the way."

As Lily blushes, Severus rolls his eyes. 'Show-off,' he thinks.

Softly, Lily murmurs, "It's a pleasure to meet you." She says, "I'm Lily Evans." Then, turning back to Severus, she reaches for his hand and pulls him to his feet. "And this is Severus Snape – my best friend."

His mouth falls open in shock. He hadn't realized he's regained such an esteemed position. And after all that he's done too…

Severus knows he doesn't deserve his new position in Lily's life. Even so, he's not going to object – at least not now. Not in front of this pair of dunderheads. To show his gratitude (and worthiness), he decides to play nice for the rest of the ride to Hogwarts. He doesn't try to start anything with Potter or Black when they gloat about their families (in the case of Potter) or complain about them (Black) and bites his tongue when the mutt insults Slytherin.

Sirius's cruel remark is just the push Severus needs to decide where he wants to be sorted. Up until now, he's been wavering between just letting the Sorting Hat decide for him and fighting to be placed in Slytherin once again. He'll go to Slytherin just to show Black just how wrong he is about the type of people who end up there.

As the afternoon progresses, Severus finds he has to tell himself over and over, 'You only have to be polite for a while longer.' And keeps himself in check with the thought: 'Lily is calling you her best friend again. You don't want to make her regret it by getting in a fight with her child-husband and his friend.'

Surprisingly, it works quite well. While he can't always hide his grimaces from the duo, he does manage to stay silent for most of the ride and let Lily do most of the talking for the both of them.

-O-

That evening, when the Sorting Hat is plucked from Severus's head after shouting "SLYTHERIN!", seeing Black and Potter's gobsmacked faces more than makes up for the hours of having to listen to them prattle about quidditch, their families, and the virtues of all the houses besides his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	3. Germinating: II

The first few weeks of Hogwarts are not easy. His housemates turn up their noses at him (as they did the first time), because he's a Half-blood, and they go out of their way to make him feel unwelcome and subpar. Thankfully, Severus is not the boy he was the first time. He doesn't care if these people like him or see potential in him. He knows his worth and Lily likes him again (which was once all he wanted in the world after that awful incident in their fifth year). So he ignores their veiled jabs and pretends he doesn't notice when they sneer at him.

However, something snaps in Severus one afternoon after returning from a day of classes. One of his dormmates, Evan Rosier, is fuming about being shown up by a Muggleborn by the name of Dirk Cresswell in Transfiguration. As he unloads his satchel onto his bed, he rants on and on about the other, calling him a cheat, a bastard, a brown-noser, a lucky fool, and, then, a _Mudblood_.

Severus doesn't think, he just does. Wand out, he yells, "Langlock!"

Rosier's hands go to his mouth, face pulled into an expression of shock. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus sees another of his dormmates point their wand in his direction. Before they can so much as utter a syllable, he's got them hanging upside down in the air. Looking between his spelled, and remaining unspelled dormmates, he says, "I don't want to hear any of you use that word in my presence ever again, do you understand?"

The unspelled ones cower and are quick to agree with nods and jumbled promises. Undoing the langlock on Rosier first, he asks, "Do you promise as well?"

Face hateful, Rosier replies, "Yes."

Severus then undoes the jinx on his last remaining housemate. He doesn't demand any promises from them, but he glares. His dormmate is quick to avert his eyes.

Satisfied, but alert, Severus goes to his bed and pulls the curtains around him. He casts a couple of protective spells. It won't hold off everything, but given that his dormmates are eleven and twelve-year-olds he doesn't think they'll know anything strong enough to break through his new wards.

Laying down on his expansive bed, Severus steeples his hands over his stomach and begins to brood. Who knows what kind of feud he's just begun?

-o-O-o-

He doesn't tell Lily about the incident with his housemates. Chances are, she will only be cross at the news he jinxed children for something as petty as name-calling (nevermind the fact she cut him out of her _life_ for using that particular insult). She's already annoyed with him for how he's handling the Marauders. Really, though, what did she expect him to do? Boys or not, Severus's not going to just let them hurl abuse at him without any consequence. Besides that, he's quite sure they don't understand half the things he calls them in return for their insults. Honestly, Lily should be pleased he hasn't resorted to hexing them to make them back off.

Then again, he knows that won't have any affect on them. Severus did that during his first childhood and all he got in return was seven years of grief.

Of course, despite all of Severus's best intentions to keep it under wraps, Lily still manages to find out.

-O-

The two of them are outside, enjoying the last of the truly nice autumn weather by the Black lake, when a few upper year Slytherins approach them. Severus recognizes them immediately. Lucius Malfoy, who looks cockier than Severus can ever remember him being, Conrad Yaxley, crooked sneer as unpleasant as ever, and Claudia Wilkes. She died quite early during the first war, he recalls. In one of the nastier battles the Death Eaters had with aurors, if he remembers right.

Tense and weary, he asks, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The three look between each other. Then, with a saccharine smile, Wilkes says, "We heard from my little cousin, William, you used some very… _interesting_ jinxes on a couple of your dormmates."

Lily, besides Severus, frowns.

He surreptitiously reaches for his wand. He thinks, if they have to, Lily and he can take these three. They'll have surprise on their side. The three before them just see a couple of unlearned eleven-year-olds, not battle-hardened veterans.

"They weren't that interesting," he deflects.

Lucius steps closer. "Oh, that's where you're wrong." Face sharp and threatening, he says, "We'd very much like to see a demonstration." He glances at Lily. "Perhaps your little girlfriend would like to be your assistant?"

Severus can't help himself from sneering. "No."

Lucius's face morphs into one of outrage. "You will show us," he demands. "As your betters, we order you to."

He narrows his eyes. "No," he repeats. "Not one of you is better than us."

Yaxley, who's been silent up until now, growls, "Fifteen points from Gryffindor."

Lily jumps to her feet. "You can't take points away from my house just because Severus won't show you a couple of spells!"

Wilkes casts a knockback jinx on Lily, causing the girl to tumble to the ground. "Shut your mouth, you filthy little Mudblood."

Severus sees red. How _dare_ she. Wand out faster than any of the upper years could have ever expected, Severus fires off a langlock at Wilkes, and then a levicorpus at Yaxley. In the ensuing chaos, Wilkes attempts to find a way to get her tongue unstuck from the roof of her mouth, Yaxley twists and flails while he cusses Severus out. As for Severus, he keeps his wand pointed steadily at a glowering Lucius Malfoy.

"You're going to let Lily and I pass you without incident," he orders.

Gray eyes steely, Lucius says, "Of course."

Crouching down, Severus offers his hand to Lily. Gratifyingly, the girl takes it. Pulling her up, he leads them past the trio.

It takes everything in him not to look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	4. Germinating: III

Lily's hands are heavy on his shoulder as she forces him to focus on her. "Are you sure you want to spend the holidays here alone?" she asks. "I can write home right now and say I've caught some awful wizard illness and need to stay at Hogwarts."

Severus would actually very much prefer for Lily to stay at Hogwarts with him, but he's not going to ask her. She has a loving, if imperfect family, and to keep her from them seems a terribly selfish thing to do. Besides that, Severus has spent most of his Christmases alone. He can withstand another.

Feigning a reassuring smile, he puts one of his hands on top of Lily's and gives it a squeeze. "I'll be fine," he promises.

Lily puckers her lips. "Do you remember the password to the Gryffindor dorms?"

He sighs in exasperation. "Lily–"

"Do you?" she demands, cutting him off.

He stares at her for a moment. Then, quietly, he mutters, "Pukwudgie." Why she thinks the Gryffindors staying at Hogwarts will protect him should he need to run away from his housemates, he doesn't know; but if it comforts her… He'll play along.

Some of the tension in Lily's frame bleeds away. "Good," she says. Abruptly, she cants forward and wraps him in a floral-scented hug. "Stay safe, Severus."

He pats her back. "Most of the upper years are going home for Christmas."

She pulls back and says, "Only a couple would need to be here to catch you off guard."

Severus doesn't reply. He knows there's no way to prove to Lily that he's going to be fine. The only proof she's going to accept is seeing him in one piece when she comes back from Christmas holidays. He looks away from Lily when the sound of laughter echoes down to them from the adjoining corridor. "You better go," he tells her, "You wouldn't want to miss the train."

Lily steps back. "I'll see you soon," she says before she begins to hurry away with the rest of the leaving students. However, just before she joins the exodus, she turns back and yells, "Sirius is staying for hols, too! If you run into him, don't be an arse, okay? I think he's down about it!"

Severus nods to satisfy Lily, but mentally thinks 'As long as he's not an arse, I won't be either.'

-o-O-o-

"Pukwudgie!"

In the next breath, Severus is falling to his knees on the other side of the Fat Lady's portrait. He runs a shaking hand through his hair and thinks, 'That was too close.'

"How'd you get in here?"

Severus looks up from his spot on the floor to see Black staring at him over the back of an armchair. "It's rather obvious, wouldn't you say?"

The corners of the mutt's mouth turn downward. "Does Evans have no house loyalty  _at all_?"

He snorts. "Friendship drives one to do many questionable things."

"Yeah, what's with that, anyway? You're so… and She's…" he trails off while making a complex set of motions with his hands and fingers. Severus only blinks. He has no interest in trying to decipher any of that.

He gets to his feet and considers just leaving. In the end, Severus decides against it. Yaxley and the goons he rounded up to hunt for Severus are probably still prowling nearby, looking for him. "She was the first witch my age I met," he says. That's the truth, too. After that, she became his first true friend and all the little differences between them hadn't seemed to matter – until they did, anyhow.

"So, uh, why are you here?" Black asks after a moment of quiet.

He looks sharply at the boy. "You can't guess?" he snaps.

"I was being polite! Merlin, who raised you? A  _Mug–_ " Black slaps a hand over his mouth, obviously horrified by what he was about to say.

Baring his teeth, Severus approaches. "Yes, I  _was_ raised by a Muggle," he hisses. "But that has  _nothing_ to do with my behavior toward you." Pushing up against the soft structure of the armchair, he tells Black, "I don't bother with manners because I do not respect you. You are a spoiled prick who wants to pretend he's above Pureblood sensibilities, but, really, you're just like the rest! You look down on anyone who doesn't meet your personal standards and treat them like complete rubbish!"

Black's pupils dilate. Then, before Severus can step out of the way, Black leaps over the back of the chair and takes him to the ground. Severus gives as good as he gets. Eventually, the two wear themselves out and end up sprawled out side by side, panting and bleeding.

"I think you chipped one of my teeth," Sirius complains.

Severus turns his head. "Yes, well, you knocked out one of mine." And to prove it, he opens his mouth wide, showing the boy the empty spot where an upper incisor should be.

Sirius winces at the sight. "We should go to see Madam Pomfrey, shouldn't we?"

Severus scoffs. "And get a detention? I think not." Sitting up, he says, "Just come with me to my dorm. Just about everything can be fixed with a few salves and potions. I've got a small store in my trunk."

"Uh, no. Your housemates will murder me the moment I step into your common room."

Severus glares at Sirius. "If they aren't still hunting for me, I'm sure they've gone back to the library to study for their NEWTs and OWLs." He looks pointedly around the empty Gryffindor common room. "That's where all of your upper years are, aren't they?"

"Or in their dorm rooms," Sirius replies.

He nods. "Not that different, are we?"

The boy barks an abrupt laugh. "No!"

-O-

"Sweet Salazar, what are you  _doing_!" Sage Montague cries from his bed as Severus walks into their dorm with Sirius following close behind.

Severus points his wand in the direction of his dormmate. "It does not concern you. If you speak to  _anyone_ about this, you will be a mute for the rest of holidays. Is that clear?"

The dark-haired boy's face turns red, but he grudgingly turns away from Severus and Sirius and back to the book he has laid out on his bed.

Sirius leans in close, whispering, "You didn't say one of your dormmates stayed for hols!"

"I didn't know he was," he bites back.

Silently, however, Severus berates himself for forgetting that Montague had stayed at Hogwarts during their first year. Almost twenty years ago or no, he should remember, and if not, at least heard the boy mention his plans at  _some_ point over the past few weeks. Sighing, Severus opens his trunk. While pulling out the necessary potions to clean up his and Sirius's bumps and scrapes, he silently hopes that this doesn't add more complications to his already overcomplicated life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	5. Germinating: IV

It's when he's alone for the first time since the end of holidays she approaches him. A smile on her artfully painted face, she slips into the chair across from him and says, "You're Severus Snape, aren't you?"

He closes the Herbology book he's reading. Here goes his quiet afternoon in the library. Pushing forth a steely mask, he sneers, "Lucius asked you to speak to me, hasn't he? Tell him I'm still not interested in demonstrating my spells for him."

Narcissa Malfoy (or soon-to-be, anyhow) plays coy. "I don't know what you're talking about, Severus."

Severus sighs. "I'm not a dunderhead."

"Of course not," Narcissa replies, her smile stretching wider. "I've heard you are quite a clever boy."

He glares at her. Severus is utterly insulted that she thinks a few compliments will win him over. Even if he were truly twelve, he would have seen right through her patronizing act.

Narcissa's eyes alight with amusement. "You're going to give yourself worry lines before you're fifteen, sweetie."

"How old do you think I am?  _Five_?" he demands.

She laughs. Then, suddenly, her face is sharp and serious as she says, "It has come to my attention you kept my little cousin company over holidays."

Severus pauses at the abrupt change in demeanor and conversation. This is highly unexpected. Narcissa never spoke of Sirius unless it was to disparage him during their time at Hogwarts the first time. While Severus wants to mull over what he's done that may have changed this, he's more concerned with how this information got to her. Who told her? Severus bets it was that damn Sage Montague. He's going to have to teach that little bugger the value of secrecy when he next sees him. "I just took meals with him a few times." And had a brawl with him. He and Narcissa didn't need to discuss that part, however.

"I wanted to thank you, is all," she says. Narcissa then leans in ever so slightly, expression one of turmoil. "I understand why my aunt and uncle are upset with Sirius, but to not invite him on holiday with our families…" she shakes her head, causing a few strands to fly away from the impeccable braid she has her hair styled in. "It was unnecessarily cruel."

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He doesn't know what to say. Do. Severus had eaten with Sirius for mainly selfish reasons – to avoid his housemates, not because he actually  _likes_ the mutt. "You're welcome," he finally mutters.

Narcissa smiles once more. "I'll speak to Lucius," she tells him. "Yaxley and his mates will stop pestering you."

Severus stares. "Why?" he asks, suspicious.

The blonde's eyes soften. "My family means a great deal to me."

That, Severus believes without any doubt. If Narcissa feels even a fraction of the same love she held for her son for Sirius, she's going to use whatever channels open to her to keep Sirius out of major trouble and in the good graces of their family.

Unluckily for Severus, it seems he's made himself that channel.

-O-

Walking into the Slytherin bathrooms, Severus smirks when he sees a dripping Montague step out from one of the shower stalls. "Hey, Montague!" he calls.

The boy freezes.

Smirk widening into a feral grin, he remarks, "I haven't seen you in a few days." Pulling his wand from his sleeve, he taps it thoughtfully against his chin. "I was wondering if you got lost in the dungeons." Walking forward, he says, "But, then, yesterday I had a lovely chat with Narcissa Malfoy about her cousin."

Severus is centimeters from Montague's face now. His grin is gone and a severe frown has taken its place. Despite wearing what Severus knows is an awfully mean expression, defiance still lurks in Montague's blue eyes. The slight tremor in Montague's jaw gives away his fear, however. In a low growl, Severus says, "I thought I told you to keep your mouth shut about Sirius."

"You said not to tell anyone about bringing him into the dorms. I didn't," Montague counters bravely.

He snorts. "I know you're not that much of a dunderhead. You  _know_ you weren't supposed to say anything about Sirius at all to anyone."

Montague purses his lips. "What are you going to do?" he demands.

Severus pulls back and smirks once more. "Thank you, I suppose," he says, "Narcissa was quite happy about the news and has promised to get Yaxley and his ilk off my back."

The boy's mouth drops open, incapable of hiding his surprise and shock.

Re-pocketing his wand, Severus turned his attention to the sinks and mirrors and pretended to fuss with his hair (as if he actually care what it looked like). "I'm sure you were expecting a different outcome after you told her. Unfortunately for you, your plan backfired." Finished with his act, Severus says, "It's been a pleasure speaking with you. I'll see you around, Montague."

And with that, Severus turned his back on the gobsmacked boy and left.

-o-O-o-

They are in the unused classroom they claimed as theirs early in the year, working on their personal projects in silence. Now and again, Lily looks up from the Charms paper she's writing to smile at Severus. It makes him itch for a reason he can't quite place. Finally, after several minutes of her just smiling instead of  _talking,_ he demands, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

She puts down her quill and comes to sit beside him on the desk he's monitoring his simmering potion from. "Earlier, James was complaining about you. Sirius told him, and I quote, 'Severus's kind of a prick, but not Grindelwald incarnate. Quit talking about him like he is.'"

"Hm," he replies, not sure what else to say. Or feel, for that matter. He still doesn't like Sirius – isn't sure he ever will, but he does like that he's putting Potter in his place. The fact he's doing it in defense of Severus makes it all the better as well.

Lily bumps his shoulder. "I don't know what you did or said to him over Hols, but I'm proud of you. It's nice to see you're working to make this time around a more pleasant school experience."

Severus is left speechless for a moment. "Thank you," he finally croaks.

Her expression is sweet as she presses a kiss to his cheek. "There's no reason to thank me, Severus. It's all you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	6. Germinating: VI

With only a handful of weeks left to the school year, the weather finally starts to improve. Like most of their classmates, Severus and Lily choose to take full advantage of the fact the spring chill has finally dissipated and enjoy an afternoon out on Hogwarts expansive lawns. Falling back on a patch of grass a little ways away from most of the activity going on around them, the two stretch their limbs out and breathe in the scent of grass and fresh air.

"I think this is what I'm going to miss the most when we go back to Cokeworth," Lily murmurs.

Severus lifts his arm away from where it is blocking the sun from his eyes and turns his head to squint at Lily. "The grounds, you mean?" he asks.

Lily nods. "It's so fresh. Not even by my house is the air so crisp."

Severus hums his agreement. Lily is right, the air of Cokeworth always has a bit of an acidic edge to it. Shifting a little, he gets on his side and asks, "Are you ready to go back?"

She sighs. "Christmas wasn't so bad," she says. "I liked spending time with my parents. It's just…"

"Petunia?" Severus offers.

Lily frowns. "I was as nice to her as I could manage. I didn't talk about Hogwarts when she was around, I kept my schoolbooks out of sight, and did her chores for her when possible, but she was still just so mean. I don't understand it."

"Face it, Lily, your sister is a bitch."

She glares at him. "'Tuney is not a bitch! She was nice when we were little," she argues.

"Then you turned out to be a witch," Severus says, "and she's still just an ordinary Muggle."

Lily's lip trembles. "I hate that it's magic that tore us apart."

"Magic has a habit of doing that," Severus mutters.

Her brow furrows. Not with confusion, however, but thoughtfulness. "Your parents…"

"What about them?" Severus demands, voice suddenly rough and defensive.

Lily looks down and begins to pick nervously at the grass. "Magic is why they row all the time, isn't it?"

Severus flips onto his back once more and stares unblinking up into the sun. His eyes begin to water as the silence draws on between him and Lily. Finally, he whispers, "If you look deep enough."

She doesn't say anything after that, but the gentle ministrations of her fingers through his hair speaks volumes about her feelings on the matter.

Silently, Severus vows to do something about Petunia.

-o-O-o-

"Severus! Hey!" shouts an all too familiar voice from behind.

Shooting a long-suffering look at Lily, who returns it with an amused smile, they turn around to see Sirius standing breathless on the stairwell behind them. "Yes?" Severus asks coolly, only to grimace a moment later when Lily steps on his toes. Sometimes, he just doesn't know what Lily expects out of him. He's not excited to see Sirius and he's not going to pretend he is.

Sirius briefly looks between them, uncertain for all of a moment, before he says, "My summer is going to be quite dull, since my parents are still angry with me about my sorting, and James is going on holiday with his parents to Italy for a month. Peter's also going to stay with his aunt and uncle for just as long in Wales starting about mid-summer, so they won't have much time for writing most of hols, and I don't want to end up being a bother to Remus by writing too much–"

Severus cuts in with a raised eyebrow, "I assume this is some roundabout way of asking if I would mind you writing to me?"

The boy flushes. "Yeah."

He sighs. "As much as may or may not like to be your pen-friend, my father would have a fit about owls coming and going from our house."

Sirius begins to deflate. "Oh well…"

"You can send your letters to Severus to my house," Lily offers up as Severus sends her a nasty glare. He doesn't want to spend a summer having to keep up an inane conversation about who knows what with a _child._

Sirius doesn't notice Severus's glower as he turns his attention to Lily. "Really?"

"Severus lives just a few streets away from me. It won't be hard to get the letters to him."

"Wicked! Thanks, Lily," Sirius says.

Her lips twitch with a smile that's far too fond for Severus's liking. "You're welcome."

Severus grabs Lily's elbow and says, "Seeing as that's settled, we really must be going. We have to study for the Transfiguration exam tomorrow."

"What do you two need to study for? You're at the top of our year. You could fail the exam and still get straight Os!" Sirius teases, grinning impishly.

Lily chuckles weakly. They both know very well why they're at the top of their year – and it has nothing to do with studying. "Yes, well," she replies, "it's only because we spend so much time studying."

"Exactly, now, if you would _excuse_ us," Severus grumbles, finally pulling them away from the mutt.

When they have turned a corner into a lesser-used corridor and are a fair distance away from Sirius, Lily says, "He likes you, you know that, don't you?"

"Isn't that bully for him?" he mutters. Lily yanks out of his grip and stops. Turning around, he frowns. "What's wrong?"

Hands balled into fists, Lily demands, "Why are you being such a huge prick?"

"What?"

She juts her chin out obstinately and glares at him. "About Sirius! You're being a prick about Sirius wanting to be your mate!"

Severus scowls right back. "He was an utter berk to me as long as I knew him. Why should I want to be his mate _now_?"

Lily throws her hands up. "The Sirius you're talking about and the one who wants to write you aren't the same one!"

"They are too!" Severus shouts back. "We've been returned to the _past,_ not placed in an alternate world!"

"We may as well have been placed in an alternate world! If you haven't noticed, everything we do is altering what we know as the past into something _different_!"

Severus wants to deny the truth, but he can't. They may have been placed in the past, but the past isn't the past anymore. It's something _else_. Sometimes, if he thinks too much on that, it terrifies him. What good is all that he knows if everything is different? "I don't see why I have to want to be his mate – even if they aren't quite the same person," Severus finally says after a long, tense moment.

Lily's shoulders sag a little. "You _don't_ ," she tells him. "Just… Just don't be such a prick, alright? He's just a boy." Tentatively, she moves closer. Reaching up, she pushes a few of his stray locks behind his ear and whispers, "I know it's hard for you, but you need to let the past go, Severus."

He looks away from her pleading eyes. "I'm not very good at that," he admits.

"Perhaps that's why we're here together," Lily says. "To help one another be better than we are so the future can become better than the one we knew."

Severus presses his lips into a thin, disagreeable line. He doesn't like it one bit, but he supposes Lily's theory is as good as any that they've come up with in the past year and a half. He sighs. "Perhaps," Severus relents.

Lily grins, relief smoothing away the worry lines from her forehead immediately. "Brill. Now, let's hurry to our classroom. We really need to clean that up while we still have the time to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	7. Germinated

Severus does not often go inside the Evans home. Mostly, it's because he doesn't want to. When he was truly a child, going inside just made him bitter. The Evans house always looked so  _nice_. The furniture was most definitely not secondhand, even if it was a little worn from belonging to a home with children, the walls were decorated with the smiling portraits of family members, and little ceramic shepherdesses that would have been broken within twenty-four hours at his family's home, lined the mantle of the Evans's fireplace.

It screamed happy home.

As for the other reason…

Walking into Lily's kitchen to put his water glass in the sink, he is unsurprised to find Petunia at the room's table thumbing through a catalog. She doesn't look up, but he can still see her expression turn into one of distaste. When he was a child the first time it was quite typical for Petunia to be hanging around the Evans home. Now is no different.

Severus continues onto his destination and puts his glass in the sink. He then turns around to face Petunia. Now is his chance. Now is the time to try and show Lily's sister magic is not all rainbows and kneazle-kittens. Severus licks his lips and considers what to say first. He decides to open his argument with an indisputable truth. Quietly, he says, "She loves you."

Petunia doesn't look up from her catalog, the sneering curl of her lips the only indication she heard at all.

Undeterred, Severus continues, "Lily loves you so much, that if there were a way, she would give you her magic."

"No, she wouldn't!" Petunia snaps, glaring at Severus. "Who in their right mind would give up getting to go to school in a  _castle_ and learning how to turn toads into butterflies?"

"Being a witch is a lot more than that," he tells her. "There are bad things too. Hogwarts is just like Muggle schools. There are bullies, hours of studying for exams you know you'll never pass, homesickness…"

Petunia scoffs. "You still get to do  _magic_ ," she insists.

Severus wracks his brain, trying to figure how to explain to someone who's idealized this world she's only ever had a glimpse of, just how cruel it truly is. Finally, an equitable example from the Muggle-world comes to him. "You know how there are people who hate blacks?"

"Yes? So?"

"There are people who hate Muggle-born witches and wizards the same way." Severus gestures to himself. "They don't always like wizards and witches like me either. A lot of people who come from families who've been magical so long they can't even name a Muggle ancestor think those who marry Muggles are debasing themselves. That their children are lessers for having a non-magical parent."

Some of the ire leaves Petunia's expression and is replaced with concern.

"There's only Hogwarts for all of the wizards and witches of Britain, did you know that?"

Petunia pales. "Really? There's not even a tiny academy somewhere for those who might not like Hogwarts or can't afford it or something?"

Severus shakes his head. "All children who are magical go to Hogwarts. Muggle-borns, Half-bloods, and Purebloods."

"Even the ones who hate witches like Lily?" Petunia asks.

Severus nods. "I'd like to say it's for the best, because children who are taught Muggle-borns are inferior can see for themselves that it's not true…" He thinks of Sirius's cousin, Andromeda, of his mother, of countless others who defied Pureblood expectations and married Muggles and Muggle-borns. He then thinks of the years of torture some Muggleborns put up with just to learn how to use their magic. "But it's not always like that. Sometimes, Muggle-borns have a time of it at Hogwarts. Half-bloods too."

"Why didn't that witch who visited us when Lily got her letter not tell Mum and Dad any of this!" Petunia demands, angry again.

Severus shrugs. "Children need to be educated to stop them from becoming a danger to themselves and their families. I'm not saying it's right, but if you have to pick, what would you choose? A fearful family keeping their child home and ending up dead because of it, or a child growing up to be a capable witch or wizard with a few scars to show for it?"

Petunia begins to wring her hands. "You… You look out for Lily, don't you? She's not being bullied by anyone, right?"

He relaxes a little. It seems he's gotten through to Petunia. "We look out for each other," he answers honestly. "And only someone who's half-bonkers would dare bother Lily." Looking to the drawing room, where Lily is just barely in view, absorbed in a film playing on the telly, Severus tells Petunia, "Now, since you know Lily's time at Hogwarts isn't a daydream, would it still be too much of me to ask you to be a little nicer to her?"

Petunia's jaw goes taut with stubbornness briefly. Then, softly, she sighs. "No, it's really not."

-o-O-o-

As always, by the end of July, there is little of interest to do in Cokeworth. More often than not, he and Lily spend their days puttering around the park they once played at as children. Today is no exception for them. They sit in the dead center of the park's rusting roundabout in silence. Lily has a letter from Sirius sitting in front of her, but Severus doesn't much want to open it. In the last one, he mentioned his cousin Andromeda eloping with her Muggle-born boyfriend. He has no doubts this letter will hold news of his cousin being burned off the Black family tapestry.

Finally, the silence is broken by Lily whispering, "Today is his birthday."

Severus cocks his head in confusion. "What?"

"It's my baby's birthday today. Harry," Lily says.

He frowns and turns to face Lily fully. She looks absolutely gutted. "He lives, remember?" Severus says softly, hoping it will soothe away some of Lily's pain.

"Yes, he was alive until  _you_ died. But what about after?" Lily demands, agitation making her voice sharp.

Severus sighs. What does she want from him? He's not a seer. A bit annoyed, he says, "Everyone dies, Lily."

"What an awful thing to say to someone who's grieving!" Lily cries.

"You weren't this worked up about Harry last year," Severus grumbles.

Tears begin to roll down her face. "If you don't remember, last year I didn't leave my house  _at all_  the week of Harry's birthday!"

Severus furrows his brow. Is that true? Perhaps it is. Though, Severus can't say for sure. He distinctly recalls being confined to his home by his mother most of the last week of July. He'd gotten into a brawl with a neighbor boy one morning on his way to the park to see Lily (who hadn't been there  _that_  day) and bit the boy's arm deeply enough for him to require stitches. When his dad found out that evening he'd thrashed Severus so bad his mother had been afraid if he went out on the street someone would call the police on Dad.

"I… I was sick at home most of the last week of July last year," Severus lies.

Lily's glare lets up some. "You were?"

"I'm sorry," Severus mumbles. "Would you like to do something for his birthday?"

Wiping away her tears, Lily asks, "Like what?"

Severus turns his palms up helplessly to the sky. "Light a candle?"

"Yes," Lily says, "let's do that."

She stands up and walks off the roundabout. Then, she turns around and offers a hand to help Severus off. He takes a moment to stuff Sirius's letter in his pants pocket before he accepts Lily's hand and uses her as an anchor to hop off the unsteady roundabout. A smile ghosts across Lily's face. "Look at that, we're finally the same height."

He leans in and presses their foreheads together, measuring for himself. When he finds that she's right, he smirks. "Next year I'll be taller than you again."

"I don't know, Sev. Girls mature a lot faster than boys!" she teases.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	8. Branching

A meter or so away, Lily accepts hugs from her parents. Her mother and father talk over one another, babbling about how much they are going to miss Lily. At one point, even Petunia shuffles in to embrace her sister for a moment. After watching them out of the corner of his eyes for a time, Severus tentatively looks up at his mother. She wears a slight frown as her eyes move over the platform's crowds. Severus sighs. His family had never been physically (verbally, or materially, for that matter), affectionate, but this second childhood has brought back all the damn _want_ he'd suppressed during his first childhood.

Sardonically, he asks, "Don't I even warrant a 'goodbye, Severus'?"

His mother's gaze snaps to him. Jaw firm, she says, "I won't take cheek from you. Especially not here."

"Sorry," Severus spits, face heating up.

She looks little appeased and Severus tenses, preparing to be slapped when–

"Severus!"

Both of their heads snap in the direction of the sound. Not more than a couple of steps away stand Sirius and his little brother, Regulus. Regulus looks terribly uneasy, but Sirius is grinning like he's won a prize. Perhaps he thinks he has. Severus had told him in his last letter if he planned to sit with him and Lily, he would have to find them before they got on the Express; he has no plans to save him a spot in one of the compartments.

"Sirius," he returns.

The mutt grabs his brother's elbow and drags him over. "I told you I'd find you!" he says.

"You did," Severus reluctantly concedes, not entirely sure if he should be annoyed or relieved. Sirius had saved him from public humiliation, after all.

Nudging his anxious brother forward, he introduces the younger. "This is Regulus, my little brother."

Severus offers a hand to the younger boy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Some of the boy's nerves fade away at his formalness. Severus isn't surprised. Regulus, unlike Sirius, was always eager to please, to be exactly what was expected of him by not only his parents, but by his peers. Taking his hand, Regulus shakes it. "How do you do?" he asks.

"Well, thank you. Yourself?"

The corners of Regulus's mouth lift. "A bit nervous," he admits with surprising candor.

"It'll fade," Severus tells him, returning honesty with honesty. "Especially once you're where you belong." He shoots a half-taunting, half-warning look in Sirius's direction. "And by that, I mean in Slytherin."

The smile on Regulus's face widens. "Has my brother spoken much of me? For you to be so sure?" His head cocks to the side a little. "Or perhaps my cousin? Narcissa?"

Sirius makes a shocked noise. "He doesn't talk to 'Cissa!"

"Yes, I do," Severus tells the mutt. Then, after a moment of thought, he adds, "Perhaps if you did instead, she wouldn't hound _me_ to know how you are fairing in Gryffindor."

Sirius crosses his arms and glares at him.

Severus rolls his eyes before he gestures behind him where the Evans are wrapping things up. "I need to say goodbye to my mother, why don't you go introduce yourself and your brother to Lily's family?"

The mutt perks right up at that. A wide, devilish grin overtaking his face, he snags his brother and says, "Come on, Reg! Lily's family are _Muggles!"_

Alone with his mother once more, he looks at her to find her quietly assessing him. Finally, she murmurs, "You never mentioned you were friends with the Blacks."

Severus turns his gaze onto the throngs of students and families. "Don't let Sirius fool you, we aren't friends." That's probably a lie at this point, actually, but Severus refuses to admit even to himself that he just might think of Black as more than an annoying acquaintance.

"You should be careful," his mother warns. "Blacks are not friendly with Half-Bloods unless they want something."

He feels confident when he tells his mother, "Sirius isn't like that. He's _Gryffindor._ "

That makes his mother pause. Softer, she says, "Even so." Reaching out, she runs her knuckles down the side of his cheek, expression unreadable. "Goodbye, Severus."

"Bye, Mum."

-O-

In the end, Sirius doesn't sit with Severus and Lily on the train. Though, he does dump his brother on them. Which irks Severus to no end. Shouldn't Regulus be sitting with other soon-to-be first years and making nice with them? For her part, Lily doesn't seem to mind the boy. She asks him about what he's most excited for, a little about Sirius, what his hobbies are.

Severus is continually surprised by the things the boy says. He'd never paid Regulus much mind the first time around. Occasionally, when Sirius and the Marauders had done something particularly nasty, he would retaliate by doing something awful back to Regulus. Sirius never was too upset by that, he recalls faintly.

This time, Severus thinks he will be. He thinks him and Severus are _friends_.

-o-O-o-

A couple of days after the start of the school year, Severus stumbles into the Slytherin common rooms after a nightmare to find Narcissa sitting on one of the sofas in her nightgown and a robe. He almost backs away on principle. As a professor, he never approached girls when they were in their sleepwear – even if they were moping around the common rooms at an ungodly hour. It had always felt inappropriate somehow. Thankfully, Aurora Sinistra never much minded if he woke her to deal with the girls. She returned the favor by foisting all of the boys and their problems off on him. But, now, he's _twelve_. In his jimjams too, actually. They're on even enough grounds, he supposes.

"You're up late," he says.

She looks his way, expression dark. "Not half as late as _you,_ ickle boy."

He fights the urge to scowl. "Why?" he asks.

"Why do you want to know?" she returns, voice cutting.

He shrugs. "Curiosity?"

There's a beat of silence between them. Then, quietly, Narcissa asks, "Why are you awake?"

"Nightmares," he replies.

Narcissa scoffs. "About what? Failing a Herbology exam? Ickle _genius_."

He's getting quite annoyed with the insults about his size. He's _twelve,_ not a midget. "No," he replies. Then, because he knows she'll think it's the manifestation of an overactive imagination, he tells her, "It was about a giant snake ripping out my throat."

That seems to startle Narcissa and for a moment he fears the impossible (he might have made her remember the future!). "What on earth have you been reading?" she demands, causing him to let out a small breath of relief.

"Nothing."

She shoots him an irritated glare. "I could take house points from you for lying to a prefect!" she hisses.

Severus smothers a smirk. Ah, teenage irrationality at its finest. "You won't," he tells her.

"Why ever not?"

He smirks. "We're in the same house, remember? You'll be taking points away from _your_ house too.

She sniffs. Then, finally, she admits, "If you must know, I'm up because I can't sleep."

"Is it 'cause of your sister? Sirius was writing a lot about her in July. He couldn't quite decide if he should be happy for her or angry at her for getting disowned, because she is, and I quote, 'The most wicked of my cousins.'"

Narcissa chuckles. It sounds a bit too close to tears for Severus's comfort. "He's such a prat."

"Yes, he really is," Severus agrees.

She stares right at him. Her eyes are wet and expression distraught. "I don't even know why I'm so broken up about it. She chose him over _us_. She deserved to be blasted off the family tree."

Severus has to break his gaze from Narcissa's. "It doesn't change that you love her. And what she did… In a way, she betrayed you. I bet she never even hinted at her relationship. Now, you're second-guessing every interaction between you. How much did she really care about you if she'd leave you for him?"

"Bellatrix is just plain angry. If you had seen her when she found out…" Narcissa shook her head. "I don't know what I am. I just want her back."

He meets her stare once more. "She's not coming back."

"I know that!"

Severus licks his lips. "You can't focus on her anymore. She's lost."

Narcissa's lip curls in a sneer. "I _know._ "

"Sirius isn't, however."

Confusion overcomes the teenager's face. "What?"

Severus begins to pluck at a stray string on his jimjams. "You know him. He's proud to be a Gryffindor. Proud to be the black sheep of your family. He has a role model in your sister now. He's seen its possible to leave and live."

"He's just going through a rebellious stage. Sirius's not going to leave our family. He's the _heir_. Who would be mad enough to give that kind of power up?"

He can't help but roll his eyes. "Are you listening to yourself?"

Narcissa shrinks into herself a little. She's quiet for a while. Then, softly, she asks, "Do you think he realizes just how much he could _do_ if he stayed a part of the family? He could almost change the world."

"Sirius is quite short-sighted."

The teenager put her head in her hands. "He doesn't like me."

Severus closes his eyes. He's going to regret this. "I'll talk to him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	9. Branching: II

While setting up an unused classroom to be their hideaway for the year, Lily says, "I think I'm going to try out for the Quidditch team."

Severus pauses in organizing his potion stores. Lifting his gaze up from the little glass bottle of frog livers in his hands, he asks, "What's brought this on?"

Lily shrugs. "It's something new to do."

"I did say if you wanted something new to do, I could teach you occlumency."

She flashes him a smile. "I may still take you up on that offer at some point," she says. "For now, though, I want to do something that will help me connect with my housemates. They were all a little intimidated by me last year. Mary always started every question she had for me with 'oh wise one' by the end of the year."

"Dunderheads," Severus mutters.

Lily shakes her head. "They're children."

"Yet you want to be friends with them."

She frowns. "Severus, they won't _always_ be children. They were also my friends the first time. I know who they'll become and I _liked_ those people. I want to build a relationship with them so when they are those people again we can be friends like we used to be."

Severus wants to tell Lily she's holding onto an impossible dream. Just like everything else so far, the children are changing. The people she knew and the one she knows now will be different. They aren't going to be the same. What she had she's never going to have again. He doesn't, however. She'll realize it soon enough. Putting the last of his potion ingredients in the classroom's cupboard, he grumbles, "If that's what you want."

Lily's brows are furrowed. She obviously can see he's holding his tongue, but she doesn't call him on it. Perhaps she's glad he is. Perhaps she already knows why. Or perhaps she thinks he's finally learned some tact. Who knows? It's not Severus's problem.

Speaking of Severus's problem…

"Do you know think Sirius is in your dorms right now? I told Narcissa I would speak to him on her behalf."

She gets up from the desk she's been sitting on. "About what?" Lily asks.

He sighs. "About how aspiring to be the next Andromeda is a rather piss-poor idea."

Lily's face twists with something a little defiant. "Being another Andromeda is better than being a Death Eater."

"Of course it is!" Severus snaps. Angrily turning around to face his friend, he gets in her face and hisses, "You need to stop seeing things in black and white. Just because I plan to advise him against becoming another Andromeda, doesn't mean I'm advocating he become a Death Eater! It's not an either-or choice!"

Eyes blown wide, she stumbles back. "Sorry," she says. "I just can't see what else Narcissa would want you to try and set his sights on being instead."

He runs a hand through his hair. "She was quite disenchanted with the cause by the time I died." Moving his gaze off into the distance, he tells Lily, "She's at a weak point right now in her faith. I think, if I do this right, I can keep her questioning her family's ideals and when Sirius is older and needs someone on his side, she'll step up."

"Sirius doesn't like her," Lily says. "He said it quite a bit during our first lifetime, and he says it now too."

Severus nods. "I know. That's what I'm trying to change."

-o-O-o-

In the end, the two find out from a couple of Lily's dormmates that Sirius and the rest of the Marauders are out on the lawn. After several minutes of talking about classes and the upcoming quidditch tryouts, Severus suggests, "Sirius, let's go for a walk by the lake."

The mutt cocks his head, evidently confused by the question. "Sure?"

James frowns. "Why just Sirius?" he demands aggressively.

Lily steps between James and Severus before things can devolve. "Severus has something private he wants to speak with Sirius about."

"And you know what that 'private' thing is?" James asks.

She nods. "Yes." Stepping closer to the boy, she almost takes James's hand, but stops short. Severus can't decide if he's relieved by this or if he hurts in sympathy for her. Once, she would not have held back, wouldn't have to. Lily has to be careful with James in ways she never was and he can hardly begin to imagine what that's like. Yet, for all the sympathy he feels, he's glad. James is an arse – always will be in Severus's eyes – and Severus feels better when Lily holds back. When she doesn't let slip just how much she cares for James and he can pretend she still thinks he's a prick like he does.

He's torn from his dilemma when Lily whispers, "I promise it's not bad, okay?"

The bespectacled boy looks between Lily and Severus, face dubious. It seems he finds whatever he's looking for, however, when he turns his attention to Sirius and says, "We'll talk later, yeah?"

Sirius smiles in relief. "Yeah."

-O-

Sirius skips stones as they make a circle around the lake. Once in a while, Severus will throw one of his own. Every time he manages to outskip Sirius's stones. This causes Sirius to huff and whine, but it never really has any heat. It's quite strange, actually. Before last year, Severus never thought it would be possible to talk with Sirius without it ending in a row or duel.

"So, what's this private thing you want to talk about?" Sirius asks after a while.

Severus hesitates. He's been planning this for the past couple of days, but how to start this conversation still alludes him. Finally, he says, "Narcissa is gutted about Andromeda."

The boy scoffs. "Sure she is."

he shoots the mutt a scowl. "Andromeda is her sister."

"Yes, well, Regulus is _my_ brother and I don't like him all that much."

Severus stops walking, which makes Sirius pause and turn to face him completely. His expression is mutinous. Quietly, Severus says, "That is utter rot. I _saw_ you with him at the station. You were showing him off. Then you left him with me and Lily on the train. You were looking out for him then, making sure he met a Slytherin you think is good. You like him just fine."

"I was just doing what an older brother is supposed to!" the boy shouts.

Severus sees an opportunity to turn their conversation back on Narcissa at his declaration. "If that's just what an older brother does, don't you think what Narcissa does is because it's just what a good daughter does?"

Sirius's face contorts to one of incredulity. "So?"

"If your reason for not liking her is because of that, then you're a dunderhead."

Face going red with anger, Sirius snaps, "Belt up!"

Severus steps forward and doesn't. "Like you, Narcissa is upset about Andromeda being disowned. I also know that the one other person Narcissa would turn to in such a situation will offer her no comfort. They are not the least bit upset about it and would likely mock Narcissa for missing Andromeda." Severus pauses and considers Sirius. His expression is more grave than furious and his stance stiff. Severus thinks Sirius might actually be listening to him. "I'm not trying to turn you into mates," he continues, "I just want you to know you're misjudging your cousin. Narcissa loves her family – even you. If you'd just look a little deeper, you would see she's hurting. You would see she could really use someone right now who's as hurt as she is to commiserate with."

Sirius looks away. He's quiet for a time, fingers clenching and unclenching around his wand. "If I tell her I miss Andromeda, then she could use it against me later. She could tell my parents. She could make it seem like I'm not–" he sucks in a breath. "She could get _me_ disowned."

Severus frowns. "You don't want to be disowned?"

The boy shrugs. "Regulus would be all alone. He doesn't _think_. If I'm not around, who's going to make him see just how absurd the stuff Mother and Father say is?"

"What if I can promise you she won't do anything to get you disowned? Would you talk to Narcissa then?" Severus asks.

Sirius nods. "If you could get her to promise that, I'd try to talk to her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	10. Branching: III

While walking up the staircase to the owlery, Severus complains to Lily, "This is the third letter you've sent this week."

His friend grins. "'Tuney keeps writing back."

He pulls his robes closer to shake off the chill of the tower as he asks, "How much can she possibly have to say to you?"

"Quite a bit, actually. She's just written about how three of Cambridge's colleges are now admitting women. She seems rather excited about it."

Severus lifts an eyebrow in disbelief. From what he'd heard about Petunia over the years, she was a homemaker and nothing more. "She wants to go to Cambridge?"

"Sort of," Lily replies. Pursing her lips, she remarks, "I think it's more like she's excited about the type of men she could meet there. I know she wants more than anything to be a proper wife and mum. If she goes to Cambridge, or somewhere like it, she'll meet countless men who could become well-to-do." Lily cocks her head thoughtfully. "She never managed to make it to a university in our first lifetime, but it seems she still got what she wanted out of life."

Severus snorts. "At what price? She married a whale."

Lily's expression turns into one of bemusement. "You met Vernon?"

"Well–" Severus starts, only to stop at the sound of a muffled sob. He puts his arm out, to keep Lily from stepping into the owlery itself.

He shares a look with Lily, who mouths, 'Poor lamb!'

Severus almost rolls his eyes in response. Chances are it's a homesick firstie and he says as such.

Lily crinkles her nose. "It's October."

"Homesickness hits some children harder than others," Severus tells her, "especially if Hogwarts hasn't met the expectations they created."

She pushes past his arm. "All the more reason to go talk to them!"

Severus sighs, but doesn't object. As a professor, he's had to do the same once in a while. However, both skid to a halt only a few seconds after stepping into the owlery. Off to the left of the room, a dark-haired Slytherin boy has his back to them and is kneeling on the owlery's dropping-coated floor. Severus begins to feel uneasy. He has a fairly good idea who this boy is.

Gesturing for Lily to just  _stay_ , because the last thing this boy is going to want is a  _Gryffindor_ girl seeing him right now, Severus approaches him. "Montague?" he calls quietly.

Sage Montague's head swivels around, eyes wet and expression devastated. " _Hecate's_ dead."

Severus glances to the bundle of feathers in the boy's arms. It's a short-eared owl with what appears to be a broken neck if how its head hangs over Montague's arm is any indication. 'It's begun again,' Severus thinks darkly while he uncaringly drops to his knees beside Montague. "Did you find her like this?" he questions.

Montague nods. "Hecate was my father's and all I had left of him…"

He winces a little. He knows Montague's story (as much as he likes to pretend he doesn't). Montague's father had killed himself shortly before Sage started Hogwarts, leaving his two sons (Sage and an older one who's a seventh year this year) orphaned and his wife a widow. He also remembers the first time Montague's owl was murdered. After that, Montague was little more than a ghost for the rest of their Hogwarts career together. Severus also thinks Sage may have killed himself too sometime during the First War. He never did try and clarify that gossip.

What's even more important than Montague's history right now, however, is the knowledge that his owl was only the first in a long line of familiar deaths and disappearances. Thankfully, (or, suspiciously, depending on how you look at it) the familiar mystery was over by the time Severus began to teach at Hogwarts. Suddenly, Lily appears on Montague's right. "We should take Hecate to the professors. They need to know something killed it," she explains.

Wiping at his eyes with his sleeve, Montague nods. "Alright."

-O-

They sit in desks that are side-by-side in their private classroom a little less than an hour later. They are quiet, both lost to their own contemplations. Professor McGonagall had been downright horrified when he, Lily, and Montague showed up with the dead owl. She'd immediately called for the Headmaster and started speculating on the potential causes for the broken neck right in front of them. Lily ended up having the sense to clear her throat and recapture their attention once Montague started to turn a bit green as the theories became more and more gruesome. When the adults realized what was happening, Dumbledore had called for a house elf to dispose of the owl and suggested Severus and Lily take Montague to the infirmary for a calming draught. Under most circumstances, Severus would have balked at such an idea. Calming Draughts are not for things as inane as the death of an animal. Yet, to Montague, that damn owl had been far more than an animal.

In the end, they took the Headmaster up on his suggestion and then went to sequester themselves in their classroom to process what happened. He chances a look at Lily, her face is pale. Mouth a solemn line that masks the fact it's more often shaped in the upward curve of a private smile. Severus is quite certain she has come to the same conclusion on things he has by this time, however. He murmurs, "His owl was the first, I think."

"That's what I thought," Lily replies, sounding miserable.

He turns his head to look at her better. "I have some people in mind who may have done it."

Lily seems slightly surprised. Why, he doesn't know. Severus spent so much of his life gathering intel on others it would be strange if he  _didn't_ have a few suspects already. "You do?" she asks.

He nods. "Yes."

-o-O-o-

"Ah! There you are!" Narcissa exclaims at his entrance into the common room.

Some other students glance his way. A couple of them frown. They don't understand Narcissa's sudden interest in him and he's quite sure a few are speculating he cast some kind of spell on her – they all know he has spells none of them have ever seen or read about before, after all. Reluctantly, he approaches her.

"Yes?" he asks warily.

She holds up a letter. "Lucius has asked about you," she says, eyes alight with amusement.

 _That_ gets Severus's attention. "Has he?" he says, trying to take the letter from the teenager.

Narcissa pulls it out of his reach (he can't wait for the growth spurt he'll have when he's fourteen). "He asked if you were still a dour little know-it-all."

Severus rolls his eyes. "Of course he did," he mutters. It's just like him, to insult someone, to try and hide he is interested in them.

"Are you?" Narcissa asks, eyes crinkling with silent laughter.

He sneers. "No, I've become a happy idiot since he graduated!"

Narcissa chuckles aloud and puts a hand on his shoulder and guides him away from the middle of the common room, where most of their housemates have congregated. Once they are at a little table away from the rest, she sits them down and talks a while more about what else Lucius has written. Finally, that tapers off and she asks, "Have you spoken to Sirius?"

"Yes," Severus says.

Narcissa stares at him, silently urging him on.

He settles a little more comfortably in his chair, crossing his arms as he thinks about how to explain what Sirius needs from Narcissa to have him trust her. "He's afraid if he talks with you, you'll tell his parents, or your parents, the less flattering things he says."

"I won't."

Severus eyes her. "How does he know that? What are you going to do to make him believe that?"

Narcissa frowns. "I could talk first?" she offers. "After I've said what I have to say, he can decide if he wants to talk back or not."

"That may work," Severus replies. And if it doesn't, he'll offer a more drastic suggestion to the cousins. In their case, Severus thinks an unbreakable vow may be a viable option. He knows Narcissa, he knows she really wants to have a relationship with her cousin – especially if it means he won't turn into another Andromeda. An unbreakable vow may end in death if broken, but if they made the vow carefully enough, the chances of Narcissa dying would be next to none.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	11. Branching: IV

His shoulders are hunched inward and his hands tucked tightly into the crooks of his elbows to stave off the cold that comes with being so high in the quidditch stands. Eyes tracking Lily as she completes the obstacle courses meant for those trying out for Gryffindor's quidditch team. He smiles when she expertly weaves around a pair of older students who are acting as beaters. She's going to make the team, he just knows it. She'll probably be a chaser. Maybe a seeker, like her son.

Severus stiffens when a boy sits down on either side of him. Glancing out of the corners of his eyes, he frowns when he sees that it is Lupin and Pettigrew. Chin in his hands, the werewolf stares straight ahead at those trying out. On his right, Pettigrew nervously looks down at his lap.

"Some of the older students think you're here to spy for Slytherin," Lupin says.

He scoffs. Like his house needs him to spy on Gryffindor. They've won the last three quidditch cups and will win this year's if things for the Slytherin quidditch team haven't changed too much between Severus's first lifetime and this one.

On his other side, Pettigrew whispers, "They're thinking about cornering you after the tryouts are over."

"I'd like to see them try," Severus growls.

Lupin turns his head to look at him. "You're here to watch Lily and Sirius, aren't you?"

He's not here for Sirius. Sirius doesn't need him. He's more than cocky enough to believe he's a shoo-in for a spot as a beater for Gryffindor alongside Potter. Even so, he just says, "Yes."

"Are you going to try out for Slytherin's team on Tuesday? It would be awkward to face Lily in a game if you got on, I would think," Remus remarks.

"No," Severus replies, "I hate quidditch."

This causes both boys to look at him with wide, incredulous stares. "Are you having a laugh?" Pettigrew asks.

He shakes his head. "If I have to pick a sport, I'd pick football. And that's _if_. I'm not much of a sports person at all."

"But you're here?" the werewolf murmurs questioningly.

Severus shrugs. "I'm here to support Lily." He glances between the two of them. "If you two like quidditch so much, why aren't _you_ trying out?" While he knows very well why Lupin isn't, he can't say the same for Pettigrew. There's no way he would make a first choice player, but second or third string? Probably.

Lupin is quick to avert his gaze. Ears pinkening ever so slightly, he says, "My mum gets sick a lot. I'd miss too much practice from visiting her."

Severus nods at the lie and then turns his attention to Pettigrew. "Um," he mumbles. "I'm not very good on a broom."

"Perhaps you should look into the gobstones club then," Severus suggests. It would do Pettigrew good to have friends beyond the Marauders and to carve an identity for himself outside of sidekick to Potter and Sirius. "All you need to do is be able to aim well, really. I'm sure you could manage that."

Pettigrew blinks his beady eyes at Severus. "Maybe," he says.

On his left, Lupin smiles. "You really should, Peter. It could be fun."

"Yeah, alright," he agrees after a few moments of the werewolf and Severus staring expectantly at him.

Turning his attention back to the tryouts, Severus says, "I'm going to hold you to that. I'll be checking to see if you made it into the club after their tryouts finish this week."

Pettigrew looks a little shocked by Severus's firmness, but Lupin laughs and says, "I'll have Sirius tell you the minute we find out!"

-o-O-o-

As he finishes packing his things away after potions, Professor Slughorn calls, "Mister Snape? May I speak to you for a moment?"

Severus bites back a sigh. "Yes, Professor," he says. Turning to Lily, he asks, "Meet you at the library after your Charms class?"

She nods. "See you, Sev." And with that, Severus and Professor Slughorn are all alone in the classroom.

He tamps down hard on the nerves he feels. While it seems silly for him to be nervous after the life he's lived, he knows there's a good reason for it. To be held after class in this lifetime is highly unusual. Severus has been a next to model student for the past two years and this is the first time the professor has wanted to talk to him in private since he started his second year at Hogwarts. Severus tries to appear confident as he asks, "What did you want to speak to me about, sir?"

"Mister Montague, if that's alright with you," the fat man says.

Severus considers this. Chances are he either wants to know how the boy is doing from the perspective of a fellow student or he wants to know if Severus knows something about Montague or the situation itself that could help solve his familiar's death. "Yes," he answers.

"I've talked with a few of your other housemates already, but do you know if he's not getting along with anyone right now? They don't have to be in Slytherin, either."

He shakes his head. "He gets along well with everyone."

"Even you?"

Severus frowns sharply. Intensely scrutinizing Slughorn, he asks, "Are you implying I killed his owl?"

The fat man startles and throws up his hands in a placating gesture. "No! No…"

"I was with Lily all that morning. People _saw_ us together. I might not be chummy with my dormmates, or most of Slytherin if you must know, but I would _never_ kill a student's owl." Still furious at the thought of being accused of something so despicable and out-of-character for the image he's crafted of himself this year and last, he begins to pace. Is there some kind of air about him that make people think Severus is a villain? Does he do something that reeks of psychopathy or does his upbringing in a chav-infested neighborhood show? _What was wrong with him_?

He lifts a hand and begins to tick off a mixture of facts and proof for how there's no possible way it's him who killed Montague's owl. "I was with Lily. Lily will say so. _Sirius Black_ who spent nearly an hour with us in the library will say the same. So will several of Lily's dormmates who stopped to talk to her on our way to the owlery. Now, since you're so keen on finding the killer, here are some things for you to think about!

"One: not a single familiar died or disappeared last year. Two: There are very good chances it will happen again if you don't find the killer soon. Three: If you're looking for a suspect, perhaps you should take a look at the first years!" Grabbing his stuff, Severus swings his satchel over his shoulder and sneers, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a paper to write for Herbology!"

Slughorn, in a complete state of shock, doesn't say anything or even so much as move to stop Severus from leaving.

-O-

Later, when Lily sits down next to him in the library, Severus can't look at her. Eyes trained on the herbology paper he's not even half-written, he says, "Lily, I've cocked things up."

"What do you mean?" she asks.

Curling inward on himself he tells her, "I've done _everything_ to be an exemplary student in the eyes of the professors!"

Lily puts a hand on his shoulder. He flinches away from it. She sighs. "I know. What happened?"

"I… Slughorn…" Severus pauses and licks his lips. Chancing a look up at his friend, a small fraction of his guilt ebbs away when he sees the concern on her face. "I assumed things I shouldn't have and _definitely_ gave away information that I shouldn't of."

She leans in, face becoming even more worried as she asks, "About what?"

"Lily, I told them I think it was a first year who did it. Slughorn is going to tell Albus. He's going to want to speak with me," he says.

"Shh…" Lily whispers, she reaches out and curls a lock of his hair behind his ear. "Calm down, that's not so bad. We can come up with a fib or something before he comes looking for you."

"Yes, but will he believe me?" Severus asks, pulling away.

Lily's expression becomes determined. "You made the Dark Lord believe you were a faithful follower until your death. I think you can pull the wool over Albus's eyes on something like this."

He doesn't even bother to smother the smile forcing its way onto his lips. "Thank you, Lily."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	12. Branching: V

It takes all of a day before Severus is called out of class to see the Headmaster. Housemates and the curious Ravenclaws they take History of Magic with watch as he goes to Albus, who stands patiently in the threshold of the classroom. The man's expression is pleasant, but his eyes do not shine with any kind of amusement or joy. He's keeping up appearances for his fellow students and is far from happy to be here.

"Hello, Mr. Snape. Would you care to come with me?"

Severus frowns. "Do I have a choice?"

Albus's lips twitch. Though, Severus is quite sure it's not because he finds his words funny.

"Come."

Reluctantly, Severus falls in step behind the man and follows him to his office.

-O-

On his side of the desk, the headmaster has his hands steepled in front of him. Albus's eyes are solemn as he stares into Severus's own. As for Severus, he keeps his hands tucked beneath his thighs and says nothing as he casually pushes forward thoughts, images, and memories that have nothing to do with what he knows Albus is looking for inside of his mind. Eventually, the old man sighs.

"Well, young man?" he asks. "Why do you think more familiars will die or disappear?"

Pleased at winning the battle of minds, Severus says, "It only makes sense, sir."

Albus raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He nods. "Familiars die, that's normal. Them meeting untimely ends isn't too uncommon either. But for one to be _killed_ in a school for children? That is quite odd. As I'm sure you've established, Montague gets on well enough with others. Thus his owl wasn't killed because of a grudge. If not because of a grudge, then why was it killed? I thought about it. I think it's because the person who murdered Montague's familiar likes killing."

The headmaster stares some more at Severus. He subtly brings up his occlumency shields in response. Frustration begins to pull at the corners of the headmaster's eyes. "That's quite a clever conclusion to come to," Albus says.

"Hmm," is all Severus says.

Albus asks, "And what makes you think it's a first year?"

Severus nearly smirks. "No familiars died last year, did they? And I haven't heard anything about murders happening _before_ I came to Hogwarts. So, it's new. The only new people in the castle are the firsties." He cocks his head with fake thoughtfulness. "And the defense professor. But he's a mate of yours, isn't he sir? I think if you knew he liked killing familiars you wouldn't have asked him to be a professor here."

"Another astute observation," the old man murmurs. Leaning closer, he asks, "But surely, a clever boy like you, can see how unlikely it is an eleven-year-old broke an owl's neck? The familiar didn't look like it had been in a struggle before its death, which means its neck was broken with a spell. The likelihood of a first year knowing such a spell is quite slim."

He frowns at Albus in response. Is this some kind of trap? Has the old man heard about the "unknown" spells Severus used on his housemates last year? His arsehole dormmates probably did tell him (or Slughorn) about the spells while being interviewed earlier in the week.

"You would be surprised by what an eleven-year-old can know," Severus replies, making sure to be purposefully vague.

The headmaster is undeterred. "What do you mean?"

Severus shifts in his seat. "Not every student who comes to Hogwarts is innocent of the world's darkness." Realizing he does not like the turn of this conversation in the slightest, Severus asks, "Sir, please can I go? I told you what you wanted to know. I really need to get to my next class. It's only if I'm there I'll stay at the top of my year."

Albus does not appear happy at the idea of just letting their conversation drop, but he dips his head all the same. "Of course, Mister Snape."

Severus almost jumps up from his seat, he's so relieved that the old man has agreed to let him leave. "Thank you, Headmaster."

He doesn't look back as he all but runs from Albus's office.

-O-

"Some Slytherin girls were rabbiting about the Headmaster taking you out of history of magic," Lily says as he slips into his seat beside her in transfiguration.

He looks around the room quickly. While a few Slytherins look his way, they don't appear to be actively trying to listen in to his and Lily's conversation. As for the Gryffindors… They're all too busy watching the Marauders as they make fools of themselves near the front of the room. "He kept trying to use legilimency on me."

Lily's eyes go wide. "What? Why!"

He grabs her hand. "Shh!"

She has the decency to look embarrassed when a couple of Slytherins look their way. Severus leans in and says quietly, "He does it quite a bit when he's dealing with serious student matters. It's a fool-proof way to find out if one is lying, after all." He can't help the bit of smugness that comes to his voice as he says, "Except it doesn't work on me. I'm a better legilimen and occlumen than he is."

"Oh," Lily says, sounding both sad and lost.

He gives her hand, which is still in his grasp, a squeeze. "It's okay, really. I know why he does it – I even used it a time or two during my stint as Headmaster. Albus is responsible and careful. He'd never use it if it weren't absolutely necessary." He gestures to himself. "And if we look at this from his perspective, he was right to use it on me. I'm not trustworthy."

"You are too!" Lily argues.

He shakes his head. "It's okay, Lily. I'm fine. I don't blame him. He did what he thought best. I'm not going to say his best is always right, but this, this situation, I agree with what he was trying to do. The accusations I was throwing around with Slughorn… They would be very concerning to hear from what you think is a normal, clever, quiet student."

Lily still looks unsure, a little hurt, and unhappy. "McGonagall isn't here yet. Do you want to cut class? I don't think I deal with all of this right now."

He shrugs. "Alright."

-o-O-o-

"Ah, Severus-darling!" Narcissa greets when he finally returns to Slytherin's dorms well past his curfew. A few of the older students who are still awake look their way at the teenager's affectionate greeting, but say nothing. They are becoming quite used to Narcissa's attention toward him. While he's sure their thoughts haven't much changed from the first time they saw Narcissa smile at him, they know better than to voice it. Narcissa is a Black and if she so wanted, she could make their lives Hell.

He follows her with his eyes as she almost waltzes toward him and goes tense when she embraces him. "Thank you," she murmurs into his ear. "Sirius listened and he talked back. It was wonderful. I finally feel as if I'm starting to understand him."

Severus raises one hand and pats the spot between Narcissa's shoulder blades. "It was no trouble."

She pulls back. "If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask. What you've given me is invaluable."

He smiles. Can't help it, really. A favor from Narcissa Black soon-to-be Malfoy is a rare and precious thing. He knows when he needs it, it will be life-saver. "Thank you."

She takes him by the shoulder then, giving him a little push toward his dorm. "Now, off to bed with you! If you're out past curfew again, I'll have to take house points from you. And as we both know, your house points are my house points and I hate to lose them!"

"Yes, Madam," Severus calls back.

Narcissa makes a noise somewhere between a scoff and a chortle. "It's _Miss_ you beastly little brat!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	13. Branching: VI

Severus wakes up to someone whispering his name. Cracking an eye open, he startles badly when he sees Lily's shadowed face above his own. Their heads crack together, making a deafening noise in the otherwise quiet room. They fall away from each other, both clutching at their respectively aching heads. In the bed across from Severus's own, a gasp sounds.

Despite the pain he is in, Severus wastes no time grabbing his wand and stunning his dormmate.

He turns his attention to Lily. "What are you doing in here?" he demands.

Looking up at him with a tear-streaked face, Lily says, "Mary's rat went missing the other day. We've been trying to keep her calm, rats are tricky fellows and often get out of their cages, but they come _back._ Everyone who's going home for Holidays leaves after lunch today and Mary was crying all night about her Whiskerton."

"Did it–"

"Yeah, never found it then. I feel especially bad for the poor chick now. I'd like to see if we can't just find it. It might offer some closure, you know?" Lily asks in barely more than a murmur.

Severus nods. "Give me a moment."

Lily's expression turns to one of relief. "I'll wait for you right outside."

Once his friend is gone, Severus hurriedly changes out of his jimjams and into his school uniform and a robe. Then, just as he's about to leave, he turns his attention to the dormmate he stunned still frozen in their bed.

"You better keep your mouth shut, Montague," Severus warns before canceling the spell.

Montague grabs Severus's sleeve the moment he's free of the stunner. His blue eyes almost appear to glow as he says, "I want to help."

"What?" he asks, surprised.

The boy scowls. "You stunned me, that doesn't mean I was deaf. I heard your little girlfriend. One of her dormmates' familiar is missing." Averting his eyes, Montague says, "That's almost as bad as it being dead."

Severus sighs. He's not sure if he should feel pity for this boy or if he should be annoyed with him for delaying him and Lily. "It probably is dead."

Montague's face flashes with grief. "Still," he says, "I want to help."

He scrutinizes Montague. There's an earnestness there that's rarely seen on a Slytherin countenance. "Fine," he replies. "Get dressed, Lily's waiting."

-O-

"There you are!" Florence Broom shouts. However, what little relief crosses her overtired features disappears entirely when she sees that behind Lily and Severus is another boy. A Slytherin one at that. "Who's he?" she asks.

"My dormmate, Sage Montague," Severus says. Then, with a sneer, he remarks, "You'd think you would know the name of a boy you've had potions and transfiguration with for the past year and a half."

Broom's face goes pink as Lily slaps his arm. "Don't be a prat, Severus."

He scowls at Lily and snaps, "Then she shouldn't ask idiotic questions!"

Before they can really get in a row about Severus's less than stellar behavior, Montague pipes up, "I heard you rat was missing, MacDonald."

MacDonald, blonde hair a crown of knots, and eyes lined red with fatigue and worry, nods. "Yes," she whispers. "Whiskerton has been gone almost three days now."

"The castle's rather large. I was wondering if you'd be alright with me helping to look for – for Whiskerton."

The Gryffindor's expression wavers between doubt and hope. "If you want to, you can," she finally replies.

"Please," Montague answers.

MacDonald offers a tentative smile, which makes Montague avert his eyes in bashfulness. Severus rolls his eyes, disgusted by the childishness of the duo. They aren't here to watch the two flirt with one another! He sighs loudly, drawing Lily's dormmates' attention to him. Pulling out his wand, he asks, "Everyone have a quill?"

The girls begin to tug an array of feathers from their pockets. Once they are all holding them out, Severus pulls two from his own pocket. "This one is for you, Montague," he says.

Montague fumbles with it briefly. But soon enough he has it out in his hand like the girls do. Severus murmurs the incantation for the Protean Charm over the quills. When finished, he explains, "If you find MacDonald's rat, hold the quill tight in your hand for five seconds until it warms. If you're not sure it's working, hold it longer. After you've done that, all of the other quills will warm too. That warming will be the signal for all of us to come back here." He searches the faces of the girls and Montague. "Are there any questions?"

Jennifer Brown raises her hand.

Severus sighs in annoyance, but asks, "Yes?"

"What spell was that?"

He scowls. "While that is _not_ what I meant when I asked if any of you had questions, if you must know, it was a Protean Charm."

Brown has the decency to look contrite as Severus glances between the rest of the gathered. "Any more questions?"

A cascade of shaking heads follows. Satisfied, Severus orders, "Good. Now, let's split up and start looking."

-O-

Time is running out. In half an hour, rat or no rat, their little search party is going to have to give up because the departure time for students homeward bound for Christmas is fast approaching. Severus kicks at a wall, frustrated. Even with all his advanced knowledge, spells, and intelligence, he still can't find MacDonald's damn rat!

"I don't see how that's helping anything."

Severus spins around and scowls at Montague. "Oh? But sitting down for breakfast is going to find MacDonald's rat?"

The boy gulps audibly. "You saw me?"

"I was passing by the Great Hall at the time," he says, baring his teeth in a snarl.

Montague presses in on himself, which causes him to look smaller than he actually is. Pathetic, even. "I know I shouldn't of, after I said I'd help, but I wanted to see my brother before he left. He's staying with a mate for Christmas instead of at Hogwarts this year."

Right. Montague has an older brother. It troubles him how hard it is to remember this. It should be easier. He was dormmates with Montague for seven years. It was Montague's _nephew_ getting trapped in a toilet pipe that led Severus to leave Lily's son alone with his worst memory. What is it about Montague that makes him so insignificant in his mind?

Rubbing at his forehead, Severus sighs. "There's a classroom that isn't much used around the corner. Do you want to help me search it?" Severus asks.

The boy perks up a tad. Obviously relieved that Severus doesn't plan to hex or jinx him. "Yes, I'd like to help."

Together, they walk into the classroom. Severus uses a few spells to try and locate the rat. Like before, they fail to work. As for Montague, he gets on his hands and knees and looks under desks, bookcases, and cabinets. After a time, Severus starts climbing on desks to peer on top of the cabinets and bookcases. As he's doing so, Montague opens the door to the room's closet.

Not even a moment later, he yells out in anguish. Severus hurriedly hops down from the desk to join Montague, who's cradling something close to his chest. It takes all of a minute for Severus to identify the gray lump as a rat. Crouching down beside the boy, he gently pries the dead familiar from Montague's hands and turns it over so he can look at its belly. There are a few black patches there that vaguely come together to create the shape of a bowtie.

Damn it, it's MacDonald's rat.

"Take out your quill," Severus says.

Montague follows Severus's direction and asks, "It doesn't look like its neck is broken."

"No, it doesn't," Severus agrees. Inspecting the rat careful, he sees a bit of blood around its nose. "I think it still died from physical injuries. There's blood around its nose."

Montague re-pockets the quill. "It's warm now. We should head back, huh?"

He sighs. "Yes, let's go."

"Can I…"

Severus looks at Montague, who's hands are scrunching and unscrunching in his direction. "What?"

"I have a handkerchief. Maybe we should try and wrap it up a bit, so if we pass anybody on the way they don't see it's a dead familiar."

He eyes the boy. The suggestion isn't a bad one. In fact, Severus might even call it thoughtful. "Yes, let's do that."

Severus then hands the rat back to Montague. Silently, he watches as the boy tenderly folds his pristine white handkerchief around the stiff body of the rat. As he continues to fuss with the corpse, making sure as much of it as possible is covered, Severus chances a look at the boy's face. His eyes are wet. Severus begins to wonder if perhaps Montague isn't as much of a prick as he always thought he was.

-O-

When Severus and Sage return to the meeting spot, MacDonald sobs. Reaching out for the shrouded familiar in Sage's hands, she wails, "Whiskerton!"

Face solemn, the boy gently passes the corpse of MacDonald's familiar into her hands. "If you want to give Whiskerton a proper burial, don't let the House Elves take him. I let them take Hecate and she was already disposed of by the time I thought might want to give her one."

MacDonald's face an ugly, blotchy red, clutches her rat closer and nods. "I–I'm going to take him h-home to bury-y."

As MacDonald continues to cry and the other children do their best to comfort her, Lily approaches Severus and asks, "Where did you find her familiar?"

"In a closet of a mostly unused classroom."

Lily frowns. "All those disappeared ones were dead and just never found, weren't they?"

"I assume so," Severus says. "It makes the most sense."

His friend bites her lip. "Me and the rest of the girls are all going home for holidays…"

"I'm not," Severus says, "nor is Sage."

Lily looks at him. There's something questioning about her gaze, but all she says, "Are you going to take him with you to tell a professor?"

Severus dips his chin in agreement. "We did find MacDonald's rat together. It only makes sense."

"They'll want the corpse, I think."

He shakes his head. "I don't think MacDonald is going to hand it over. You heard her, she wants to take it home to bury it." Then, grimacing, he says, "Besides, another dead familiar will show up soon enough."

Lily's eyes crinkle. "You haven't had much luck narrowing down your list, have you?"

"I can't remember if any familiars died or disappeared during holidays. If one does, my list is going to become drastically shorter."

She grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze. "I hate to say it, but I hope one does."

He squeezes her hand back. "I have to agree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	14. Branching: VII

When Severus and Sage approach Albus to inform him of the death of MacDonald's familiar, he fails to hide his surprise. He evidently hadn't believed another familiar would die – or, more likely, not so soon. Whisking them off to his office, he spends a good hour asking them all kinds of questions. It starts with ones about how long MacDonald's familiar was missing, where they found her rat, what the rat looked like when they found it (his face when they told him they let MacDonald take it home would have been laughable in any other situation). Then, he started asking questions about MacDonald herself, if they knew anyone who was angry with her, or if there was anyone that didn't like her. Unfortunately, neither he or Sage could answer those questions. They knew MacDonald only in passing.

Eventually, when they start going in circles, Severus says, "Sir, we don't know anything more than we've told you."

Albus sighs. "No, I suppose you don't."

Sage, who'd begun to shrink into his seat as the interrogation wore on, sits up a little straighter. "Does that mean we can leave?"

"Yes, Mister Montague. You and Mister Snape may leave."

Neither one needs any more permission to get to their feet.

"One last thing, boys. Mister Snape?" Albus calls as Montague begins to open the door to the office.

Severus turns to face the Headmaster.

"I strongly advise when your house prefects reset Slytherin's password after holidays you don't give it out to non-house members. Even friends," the old man says while dipping his quill in a pot of ink.

He bites his tongue hard enough to hurt. "Yes, Headmaster," Severus says after swallowing down at least dozen other less polite responses.

Seemingly mollified, the old man turns his attention to pulling a new piece of parchment from his desk and Severus and Sage slip out without any more impediments.

Once in the hall, Sage asks, "How'd he know you gave out our house's password?"

Severus is in a foul enough mood at this point he doesn't even bother to explain. He just spits, "You!" at the boy before stalking off in the opposite direction of their dorms.

After him, Sage calls, "Where are you going?"

"To see Sirius!"

-O-

It's an utterly childish way to spend an afternoon, but Sirius is insistent Severus help him build a snowdragon. Currently, it looks quite a lot more like an overly large snake than even a little dragon. Severus shivers, but not from the cold. Plonking another heap of snow on top of their growing sculpture, Sirius asks, "Why didn't the girls wake the boy's dorm? We would have helped look for MacDonald's rat."

"I don't think any of them slept much last night. They were too tired and fixed on finding the familiar as soon as possible to be smart about it," Severus explains. He then pulls out his wand and carves a bit into the snow with a couple of cutting spells, leaving a scale-like pattern on what is going to be the body of their dragon.

Sirius makes an impressed noise and inspects the scales. "You have to teach me that spell!" he exclaims.

Severus nods. "Sure."

"Anyway, why was Montague helping you and the girls then?" Sirius asks.

He joins Sirius in gathering snow for their latest segment and answers, "He woke up when Lily came for me and wanted to."

"Why?"

Not bothering to look up as he packs on more snow to what will be the dragon's back leg, Severus says to Sirius, "Did you hear about what happened to his owl in October?"

"Yeah, Narcissa mentioned it once," the boy replies.

Giving a satisfied nod at this information, Severus tells him, "He knows what it feels like to lose a familiar. I don't think he had any reason beyond wanting to help someone going through what he went through."

"That's… nice."

Severus snorts as he stands back up. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

Sirius frowns a little. "Slytherins aren't nice."

He raises an eyebrow at the boy.

Blushing a little Sirius looks away and corrects, " _Most_ aren't nice. I guess Montague is one of the rare ones."

Severus can't help himself. "What about me? Or your little brother?" Then, grinning, he asks, "What about _Narcissa_?"

"Oh, belt up. I already said I was wrong!" Sirius grumbles.

Teasingly, Severus asks, "Did you? Perhaps you should say it a little more plainly next time."

Sirius lobs a snowball at him. Severus dodges it and tosses a handful of snow back in the boy's direction. They keep this up for a while, shouting now and again when one of them manages to make a hit (meaning Sirius yells quite a lot and Severus only when he let Sirius get a shot). From behind, a child gives a battle cry and Severus falls to his hands and knees when a pile of snow is dropped on top of him.

As he works to get the cold, wet snow from his eyes, he makes out the sound of Narcissa's laughter as Sirius continues to yell, but at someone this time. When the snow is gone from his eyes, he rolls them at the sight in front of him.

Sirius and Regulus are battling it out, using the snowdragon Severus and he had been building as a makeshift blockade. As for Narcissa… He turns his head, to see the teenager smirking down at him.

"You dumped all of that on me, but you're not going to join in to help Regulus?" he asks.

Narcissa shrugs. "I helped him already," she says. "You would have sided with Sirius if I hadn't taken you out."

"Probably," Severus agrees. Then, after a moment, he realizes something. "Why are you and Regulus still here?"

The amusement fades from the teenager's face. "Christmas is for families."

"Sirius didn't just decide to stay again this year to spite his parents, did he?" Severus says more than asks, feeling both a little disgusted at the Black families and at himself for not realizing Sirius had lied to him.

Narcissa purses her lips. "No," she answers. "But Regulus and I are."

"You're doing a really good thing, Narcissa," Severus assures her. "He's not going to forget this."

Something just a bit too close to sorrow crosses Narcissa's features. "I hope you're right," she whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	15. Branching: VIII

Even at eleven-years-old she is a true beauty. Clear milky-white skin, thick chestnut waves that fall to the small of her back, dewy brown eyes and delicate, doll-like features. She can win a room over with her smile and breezy laughter. In a couple of years, she'll have all the boys of Hogwarts chasing after her green-trimmed robes.

It's more the shame, Severus thinks, that the alluring visage is just that, a visage. Beneath Evangeline Channing's pretty face is a rotten heart. From the shadows, he watches her approach Felix Carrow's familiar, a big white cat. Crouching down on her haunches, she coos at the beast.

"Here, kitty, here, kitty."

The cat watches Channing with a steady amber gaze.

He can't see Channing's face, but it doesn't stop Severus from picturing her perfect full lips pulling into a malicious smile. "I learned a new spell today, kitty," she says. "But I can't use it here. It will create a mess."

The ears of Carrow's familiar twitch.

Channing gives a tiny, annoyed sigh. " _Here_ kitty," she says.

Briefly, Severus considers trying to get the attention of the cat himself. He just knows that spell Channing wants to use will not end well for Carrow's cat. However, before he can, Channing shifts a little and calls, "I've got fish!" And as if that was the magic word, the cat gets to its feet and goes to Channing. "Good pussy," she praises, picking up Carrow's familiar while it wolfs down what looks to be the remains of the fish they had for supper.

'It's too late,' Severus thinks. There's no minor spell he could use to make the cat jump out of her arms now without alerting Channing to his presence.

Even so, as the eleven-year-old walks toward the common room's entrance, he almost steps out of the shadows. He knows this girl's future. A dead mother, father, three dead brothers, a dead uncle, aunt, seven dead husbands, and a Death Eater son. He could stop it _all_ right here with one little spell. There's no way it would remain a secret, however. The professors would bring in Aurors who would stop at nothing to find out who murdered the Channing's pretty daughter.

Then he would be in Azkaban and unable to help Lily remake their would into the better future they were brought here to create.

So, he watches her go. Then after a few minutes of just quietly breathing and waiting, he goes back to bed.

When the time comes, this is one memory he will let Albus see.

-o-O-o-

He tells Lily about Channing after Gryffindor's quidditch practice ends the next day.

"You just let her leave with the poor thing?" she says, incredulous and definitely angry.

Severus holds back the urge to roll his eyes. Why did he know this would be the part she fixated on? "Yes," he replies. "When Carrow notices his familiar is missing in a day or two and starts looking for it, I'll be able to inform Albus of what I saw that night and the killings and disappearances will stop."

"That cat is dead."

He pinches the bridge of his nose. "You don't think I know that?" he demands. "Lily, it's not like I _wanted_ it to die. But Carrow can handle it. He's fifteen and in few years he'll become a Death Eater just like his cousins, Aymcus and Alecto. Trust me, this is by far the least awful of the things that happen to him."

Lily scowls. "I'm not talking about him! The _cat,_ Severus. The _cat_ is dead. The innocent little cat."

He grabs her by her shoulders and gives her a shake. "It will be the only one, Lily. No more innocent cats are going to die. No more rats, no more owls, and never any toads, and if we're lucky, _never_ a human."

Her lower lip quivers. "I'm being a dunderhead, aren't I? Getting so worked up over a cat?"

Severus wants to say yes, but, instead, he just remains silent as Lily begins to cry.

"It's just… Remember how Sage looked when we found him with his owl? Or Mary when Sage gave her Whiskerton? Even if Carrow is fifteen, even if this isn't going to be the worst thing in his life he experiences–" Her hands are trembling as she places them over her mouth.

He sighs. "Hey," he whispers. Bringing Lily closer, Severus presses their foreheads together and tells her, "You're alright. You're not being a dunderhead for thinking about the children."

Lily searches his eyes for a time and, then, smiles a little. "You'll be there for my quidditch game next week, won't you?"

He chuckles at the abrupt change in conversation. "I wouldn't miss it," he promises.

-o-O-o-

On the third day that it is missing, Carrow finally asks, "Has anyone seen my cat?"

The students gathered in the Slytherin common room look up from their games, schoolwork, and conversations, only to shake their heads at Carrow. A few even voice that they haven't.

Carrow's expression turns dark. "I haven't seen him in nearly three days."

"No one's seen it, Felix," another fifth year grumbles. "Stop whinging about it. Your cat will turn up when it feels like it."

Severus watches as the teenager's face begins to go red, from embarrassment or anger, he's not sure. When Carrow is about to go sit down and shut up about the matter, Severus says, "Maybe it won't turn up."

More than just Carrow's eyes go to him. Absently thumbing the pages of the book in his lap he says, "Before Christmas Hols, Mary MacDonald from Gryffindor's rat went missing. When it didn't turn up, Sage and I helped her look for it. When we found her rat, it was dead."

Students begin to look uneasy as Carrow goes pale. Without another word, Carrow hurries out of the common room. Severus is quite sure he's going to go hunting around the castle for his familiar.

"What did it look like when you found it?" William Wilkes asks.

Before Severus can answer, Sage says, "Not good. It had blood coming from its nose."

From the corner of his eye, Severus can see Channing smile. His blood goes cold. She _likes_ hearing them talk. She _likes_ hearing the details. She puts aside her homework to lean in closer to their conversation. "Why do you think its nose was bloody?" she calls out, drawing Sage's and Wilkes's attention to her.

The boy shrugs helplessly. "I can't say," he says. "Severus, you don't know, do you?"

He does know, but he shakes his head. As clever as Severus's made himself out to be these past couple years, he's steered clear of showing off his more harmful knowledge. "No." Putting aside his book, he remarks to the room at large, "I think, though, it was a spell. If I had a familiar, I would be careful about letting it out of my sight right now. There's someone killing them."

Students start to talk over one another, theorizing about who could be killing the familiars and fretting about the safety of their own. This is a relief to Severus. It means students will be watching one another more closely. Their familiars too. Until Carrow finds his cat and Severus can inform Albus of what he sees, the chances of any more familiars dying are quite slim.

Channing knows people are watching now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses on who's mother Evangeline Channing is?
> 
> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	16. Branching: IX

Even with him and Lily surreptitiously searching for the corpse of Carrow's cat in addition to Carrow himself, they don't find it. At least, not in time to save the life of another familiar. On the last Tuesday before NEWTs and OWls another familiar is officially missing. It's a cat, just like last time. However, instead of another Slytherin familiar, or a second Gryffindor one, it belongs to a Ravenclaw prefect by the name of Margo Peasegood.

Severus can't say he knows too much about her future. He knows her twin, Arnie Peasegood, becomes a highly esteemed hit-wizard and obliviator by the time of Severus's death, but, otherwise, the Peasegood are an unknown quantity to him. He just hopes her cat died the first time too and this isn't going to cause some kind of big wave in the futures of her and her brother.

When Lily informs him after hearing the gossip from a couple of her dormmates, she is beside herself.

"No more were supposed to die!" she says.

He sighs. Then, he frowns. Is this her way of calling him a liar? Severus asks, "Are you blaming the cat's disappearance on me?"

Lily's jaw drops in horror. " _No_!" she all but shouts, drawing more than a little attention from other students who are out on Hogwarts green expanses trying to both study and enjoy the good weather.

Shooting off several glares at students who are paying them far too much attention to them for his liking, Severus puts a hand on Lily's arm and says, "I didn't know Carrow's cat would be so difficult to find." Feeling a little glum himself at the admission, he mutters, "The other two were easy enough to find."

His friend wraps him up in an abrupt hug. "I know," she whispers.

He pats Lily's back before he pulls away. "I _am_ sorry another has disappeared."

She offers a grimace of a smile in return. "I think we need to start thinking of new places she may have hidden the familiars," Lily remarks.

Severus is about to agree when a shriek carries on the wind to them. They share a look before hurrying to their feet. "I think it came from near the Forbidden Forest," Severus says.

Worriedly, Lily asks, "Do you think someone wandered into it?"

"Perhaps," Severus answers. Children are dunderheads a lot of the time, and he wouldn't put it past one to dare another to go in.

Like many other students of varying ages and houses, they wander toward where the shriek came from, from where yelling is now coming. Grabbing Lily's wrist when they come to the growing crowd, he shoulders them through it until they are at the very front. Severus is only slightly surprised to see the ones that caused the commotion are the Marauders. Off to the side, Pettigrew is emptying his stomach into the edge of the Forbidden forest. Lupin stands beside him, hands hovering just above the smaller boy's shoulders, expression concerned. As for Potter and Sirius, they are beside each other, one standing, one kneeling, creating a wall around whatever it is that elicited the shriek in the first place.

Nudging Sirius, who's the one knelt on the ground, with his toe, he demands, "What happened?"

The boy looks up. His eyes are frantic and just a little bit afraid. "I think we might have found one of the missing cats."

Severus doesn't hesitate to drop down beside Sirius. When he does, he hisses at the sight of the corpse, which is mostly bones at this point. None of them appear to be broken. Severus counts it as a relief, but since there is so little of the flesh left, all he can do is speculate about what actually killed it.

Pale and looking a little sick himself, Potter asks, "D'you think it wandered out here and got eaten or something?"

"Not even a bit," Severus answers. Turning to where Lily stands just a few steps behind, he tells her, "Go get a professor."

Lily nods, but before she can run off, Potter says, "I'll come with you." And hurries over to her side. He watches the way Lily's face flickers between shock, confusion, and worry. She knows just as well as he does Potter's offer is not selfless. He wonders if she'll manage to get him to talk later about why he insisted on accompanying her.

Severus next turns his attention to Lupin and Pettigrew. "Is he still throwing up?" he questions.

"Just heaving now!" Lupin yells back.

He nods, not bothering to let the boy know he heard. After a moment, he advises, "When he's done, take him to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey can give him something to settle his nerves."

Lupin says, "Alright." And then he begins to pull at Pettigrew's arm, bringing him to his feet. "C'mon, Peter…"

As the two begin to walk around the crowd and back toward Hogwarts, a prefect finally manages to get their way through the gathered students and yells, "What's going on here?"

Severus stands to face the prefect who he now recognizes as Frank Longbottom. "Sirius, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew found the skeleton of a cat."

Longbottom's expression turns to one of horror. But it quickly falls away and is replaced with a look of determination as he turns to face the students who are now speculating and jostling one another closer, trying to get a look at what lays by Severus's feet. "Oi!" he shouts, "backup you lot!"

Some of the children start to look mutinous as others do as they are told and start to step away from Sirius, Severus, and Longbottom. Watching Longbottom direct the children away from them, Snape is reminded of the man's son. For most of the time he knew the boy, Neville Longbottom had been a bumbling dunderhead. It was only in the boy's last year at Hogwarts he even began to see a fraction of the confidence his father now displays. Perhaps if Severus and Lily can find a way to keep him from being tortured into nothing more than an imbecile, his son will show that confidence far sooner in his life. Merlin knows Hogwarts could use more prefects who actually hold some kind of authoritative sway over their fellow students.

While Longbottom begins to threaten the few who remain with losing house points, Lily and Potter return with the Deputy Headmistress and Headmaster. When Albus's gaze settles on Severus, he once again tries to poke around his thoughts. Just as he has the last couple of times, Severus blocks him out of the things he doesn't want the old man to see and pushes forward irrelevant images and thoughts. While the Minerva stops to talk with Longbottom and the last couple of students who have not been scared off, Albus comes over to Severus and Sirius's sides.

"Mister Potter tells me you and your friends found the skeleton, Mister Black," he remarks.

Sirius nods. "Yes, Headmaster," he says, "we were walking along the edge of the woods and Peter tripped over it."

That explained the shriek from earlier. The man's eyes move to Severus then. "And you, Mister Snape?"

"Sir?"

Albus's expression is quite grave as he asks, "What has brought you here today?"

"Lily and I heard Pettigrew scream and came to see what happened." He frowns. "Like everyone else."

The man's expression remains unimpressed. "I assume you believe this cat was killed by a student? Like Miss MacDonald's familiar? Montague's?"

Severus doesn't even bother to hide his annoyance. "I _know_ it was."

Beside him, Sirius asks, "How?"

He looks at the confused boy, then at Albus, who's face is now unreadable, and, finally, at Lily, who's steady gaze meets his. Ever so slightly she dips her chin. She's by far the readiest of the two of them for this reign of terror on Hogwarts's familiar to be over. This is far different from his imaginings of the scenarios where he would tell Albus about what he saw that night, but it will do. It has to.

Severus feels like he owes Lily the end of this too. He'd said there would be no more killings and he had been wrong. Another student lost their familiar and if he didn't do something soon, yet another would join those murdered.

Feigning something he hopes looks a bit like hesitancy, he says, "I didn't really think much of it when it happened." Meeting Albus's stare head on, Severus dredges up the memory to sit on the surface of his thoughts, praying the man will once again try legilimency on him. "However, the disappearance of Peasegood's familiar has made me wonder if there hadn't been more to what I saw." He starts to fidget with his wand as he says, "Just a couple of days before Carrow started to ask after his familiar, I saw Evangeline Channing with it. She also said something about a spell she wanted to do, but couldn't do in the dorm because it was messy. She then walked out of the dorm, after curfew you, mind, with the cat, and then it hasn't been seen since." Severus glances to the skeletal remains at his feet. "Until now, anyway."

Albus, who did look into Severus's mind, just as he hoped would, looks torn between disbelief and alarm.

"How come you never said anything before?" Sirius asks, sounding a bit miffed that he would keep such a secret for so long.

He shrugs his shoulders and says, "I didn't think much of it until lately. It's not all that strange for others to play with someone else's familiar when they don't have one. It's just… It was another cat that went missing. That made me think about Carrow's and how I last saw it with Channing. The spell bit has begun to feel kind of dark now, you know?"

He obviously does, because Sirius's eyes are big and his face as white as some of the ghosts that wander Hogwarts's corridors. He's also not the only one, because Albus has gestured for Minerva and the others to come closer. Voice sharp, he orders, "Mister Longbottom, I want you to to take these four back to the castle for me and then alert Professor Slughorn that I want to see him and Miss Evangeline Channing in my office."

The teenager nods. "Yes, Headmaster." Gesturing for Sirius and Severus to join him, Lily, and Potter, he says to them, "Come on you lot, let's head inside."

As Longbottom herds them away from the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress, Severus tilts his head back ever so slightly to listen in as Albus talks to Minerva.

"Minerva, I need you to contact Miss Channing's parents for me…"

The knots his stomach put itself in begin to loosen. By some stroke of luck, it appears Albus has not only heard Severus, but _listened_. He looks around Sirius and Longbottom to find Lily gazing back at him. He mouths at her, "He _listened._ "

In return, Lily grins brilliantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	17. Branching: X

For all her cleverness, Channing is no match for Albus. She's eleven and hardly knows what legilimency and occlumency are, let alone know how to do either. By the end of the day, she is expelled from Hogwarts. At dinnertime, it's all everyone's talking about. No one can quite believe such a sweet-looking little girl is responsible for the murders of the familiars and a few even speculate she's been framed. When Regulus asks his opinion on the matter, Severus only has to glance to his side, where Sage sits, staring at his plate instead of eating, to know how he wants to answer.

"She did it," he says. Of course, Regulus attempts to press for more, as do several others, (his housemates are finally starting to see he knows a lot more than most of them combined) but he refuses to elaborate. The sooner they lose interest, the quicker Sage will return to himself. Severus pities the boy just enough to want exactly that.

-o-O-o-

After years of patrolling the halls, looking for students out past curfew, Severus knows exactly how to travel unseen through Hogwarts. When he arrives at his and Lily's classroom, he startles ever so slightly when he sees Lily is there. She sits on one of the desks, her knees drawn up against her chest, staring blankly out of one of the room's narrow windows. He eyes her warily. What has brought her here tonight, he wonders. Rarely does Lily come to their classroom after curfew. She's not nearly as good at sneaking through Hogwarts and rarely sees a point to. All of her hobbies and work she can do just as easily in her dorm as she can here.

Still watching her from the corner of his eye, Severus goes to the potion he has simmering on a desk a few down from the one Lily sits on. He turns up the heat on the potion. In a few minutes, he'll need to add thistle leaves and stir it anticlockwise six times. Until then…

"What are you doing up?" he asks.

Lily's head swivels around. Green eyes luminous in the dark, she whispers, "Sev?"

Severus rolls his eyes. Had she really not noticed him? "Yes."

"What–"

He gestures at the cauldron bubbling in front of him. Frowning at her, entirely unimpressed, he says, "The next step for my potion is coming up."

Lily chuckles. "Right," she mutters. "I forgot, 'potions wait for no man'."

"Damn right."

She says no more, only places her chin on her arms and watches Severus. Ignoring the itch her silence creates in him, Severus goes through the motions and completes the steps for his potion before once again lowering the temperature of it so it can simmer until the morning. When done, he crosses his arms and leans against another desk to face Lily.

Unable to hold it in anymore, he asks, "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," his friend replies.

He cocks his head a little, curious. "Why not? Channing's been expelled. You don't have to worry about any more familiars dying."

"I know…" She bites her lip and looks away. "Do you have any idea what's going to happen to her now?"

Severus tenses. He doesn't want to answer. It will not bring her any peace.

When she notices his hesitancy, Lily looks back at him. His face must show his unease, because Lily's own expression pulls into one of worry. "Severus?" she whispers.

He drops his gaze to his feet. "Her family is both influential and rich," he says, "I have no doubts she will be a student of Beauxbatons or Durmstrang by this time next year."

"No!" Lily exclaims. "Her family should be getting her _help_!"

Severus frowns. "And risk it getting out to the public at large their daughter is a psychopath? I think not."

Her whole form slouches. It's as if he's just put a thousand pound burden on her back and Severus can't feel worse if he tried. Running her hands through her hair, Lily takes small, hiccuping breaths for a few minutes. When she finally seems to come back to herself a little, she asks, "What are we doing, Severus?"

He pushes away from the desk he's been leaning on. He starts to walk toward Lily, but stops about halfway and asks, "What do you mean?"

"We worked so _hard_ to stop her from killing familiars, but now she's just going to go and do it to different children on the continent instead."

He sighs. "I know."

She buries her face in her arms and mumbles something. Severus can't make out much, though, he's quite sure she says "pointless" or "useless" at one point. Severus hurts for his friend. He wishes so badly he could make Lily feel better, but he doesn't think he can. All he can offer are platitudes at this point. Even so, he has to try.

Going over to Lily, he hops up on the desk beside her and says, "You have to focus on the big picture, Lily. Maybe we can't save all the familiars of children, but we can and are doing so many other _good_ things. There are always going to be setbacks and losses, but no matter what, the future will be better." He lays a hand on her arm, causing her to peak out from the crook of her elbow. He studies her. "You get that we're not trying to create a Utopia, don't you? We're just trying to make something better than what we knew."

She lifts her her head. Wiping at her eyes, she asks, "When did you become so good at pep talks?"

"I didn't know I was," he replies wryly.

Lily smiles at him. "You are, Severus." She leans over the desks and places a kiss on his cheek. "I'd be lost without you."

He flushes. "I wouldn't be much better off without you."

She smiles wider and then rests her head on his shoulder. After a moment, he puts his own head on top of Lily's. It's comfortable, being like this. He doesn't think he's felt this close to Lily since they were truly children. Feeling safer than he has in years, his eyes begin to droop and just as he thinks he's going to fall asleep, Lily whispers, "I'm glad it's you that came back in time with me."

"Me too," he mumbles, before finally dropping off into sleep.

-o-O-o-

"Severus?" he looks up from packing his trunk to see Sage staring down at him.

He scrutinizes the boy. His face is pinched and he keeps looking over his shoulder like he's afraid one of their dormmates will come in and catch them together. What exactly he's afraid their dormmates will see, he's not sure, but he's curious enough to play along for now. "Yes?"

"I was… I know we're not… Could I– _we–_ "

"Spit it out, Sage," Severus says, cutting the boy's rambling off.

Sage winces. "Will you be upset if I write you over the summer? I was thinking, if you won't be, maybe you'd like to come stay at my family's home for a bit too?"

Severus considers this. He's actually a bit surprised the boy even wants to write him, let alone invite him over to his home. The Montague family may not be as prominent as the Black, Longbottom, or Crouch families, but they're standing is still quite good. If it got around the son of a disgraced line actually _stayed over_ at their home, it's quite likely the Montague family would be regarded with suspicion for quite a while after. In the end, he decides the harm of writing is fairly minimal. He lived through Sirius's letters last year, and he's quite sure Sage's won't be half as much trouble to slog through.

"You can write me," he agrees, "only you'll have to send your letters to me to Lily's home. My father doesn't like seeing owls around the house."

The boy's brows pull together. "I thought it was a rumor you actually lived in the Muggle world."

He slams his trunk shut and turns around to face the boy. Wearing a face that just _dares_ him to say something bigoted, he tells Sage, "It's not."

Sage starts to fiddle with his wand, looking between it and Severus. "Lily won't mind?"

"No. She received all my letters from Sirius last year." He smirks at the boy. "What's a dozen more?"

He smiles back shyly. "If you're certain."

"I am," Severus replies. Feeling slightly charitable (and maybe hopeful, if he's honest), he offers, "When I get home, I'll ask my mother if she is alright with me spending a weekend at your place."

The boy's whole body relaxes and a real smile lights up his face. "Yes, alright. Brilliant." He reaches for a quill and some parchment from his satchel. "What's Lily's address?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	18. Branched

Severus spends a lot more time at the Evans's home than he expected upon returning from Hogwarts. It's better than his parent's house, and the park too, but he still doesn't quite like it. The house is too nice, too warm. It's not a place meant for a person like him. Then there's the fact Lily's parents certainly don't seem to care for his near-constant presence, either. They watch him when they are around. Alert and on edge at all times. They never dare say anything to him, however. Lily cares about him too much. Petunia too, these days, seems to be coming around to him. She smiles at him, sometimes, anyway. The Evans love their girls far too much to upset them by insisting they not bring the odd Spinner's End boy into their home.

When they manage to catch him away from the girls, they often times try and interrogate him. Though, he's quite sure he's the only one who would call it such. To anyone who may listen in, it just seems like polite interest. He's the best friend of their youngest daughter; of course they want to know about him and his life – if only because he and Lily spend so much time together.

On one particular muggy Saturday, while Severus is out retrieving a letter from Sirius in the Evans's garden, Mr. Evans joins him in the small, closed-off space. With sharp eyes, he watches Severus pat the creature's head before sending it off. The owl knows to come back in a day's time. As Severus turns around to head back inside, the man effectively blocks Severus from doing so by filling the threshold of the back door with his body.

With feigned casualness, he pulls a cigarette from his breast pocket. "You're getting older, aren't you?" he remarks. "You smoke?"

Severus clutches his letter a little tighter and shakes his head. "No, Sir."

Mr. Evans takes a drag from his cigarette. "Probably for the best," he says, "doctors now days say they're quite bad for you." He looks at the little stick of cancer in his hand. "Even so, can't seem to kick the habit."

Benevolently, Severus offers, "There are worse habits to have."

The man's face remains neutral as he asks, "That so?"

He has to look away. It's no secret how much Severus's father enjoys the drink.

Lily's father sighs. "What you got there?" he asks.

Severus glances at the letter in his hand. He wants to hide it in his pocket, but he worries what Mr. Evans would think of that. Finally, grudgingly, he tells the man, "A letter from a friend."

"Ah."

He shifts, more unease overcoming him as the man continues to block Severus's way back into the house. "I hope it's alright that my mates send their letters here. Dad doesn't like owls and Lily–"

"Doesn't like them? You're mum's a witch too, isn't she? How does she talk to her family and magic friends if she doesn't use owls?" Mister Evans asks, frowning and face just a little suspicious.

Severus forces himself not to shrink under the gaze. Quietly, he informs the man, "She doesn't, Sir."

Lily's father stands a little straighter at the words, opening just enough space for Severus to squeeze past him if he didn't mind brushing up against the man's middle. "Never?" he inquires.

He gives a harsh shrug of his shoulder. Severus doesn't like this conversation. Severus doesn't ever like talking about his parents. Most of the time, he just likes to pretend they don't exist. "Not that I've ever seen."

"He wouldn't hurt the owl, would he?"

Severus lets his mouth lift in a facsimile of a smile. "The  _owl_  would be just fine, Mr. Evans."

Mr. Evans abruptly moves out of the doorway. "Been nice talking to you, Severus," he says.

"You too, Sir."

-o-O-o-

The two of them are alone in the kitchen. Even so, Severus listens for his father in the other room. He listens as the man grumbles to himself while gathering together his keys and wallet. Then as he puts on his jacket and shoes. Finally, Severus listens to the open and shut of the front door. His father is gone. He waits a few more minutes.

"My friend wants me to visit him," he says.

His mother pauses in washes the dishes from dinner. As for Severus, he continues to dry the bowl in his hand. Turning her head, his mother asks, "What's his name?"

"Sage," Severus answers.

Out of the corner of his eye, she sees him frown. "Sage  _what_?"

He ducks his head a little, causing his hair to fall into his face. Severus has wracked his brain for the past few weeks, trying to remember if there's any bad blood between the Princes and the Montagues. If the Montagues' reputation for shady business dealings is something that would upset her. Days spent trying to decide if the very question would offend her. It's one thing, leaving her for school. He has to go. She can't very well teach him at home – not when his father will box them around the ears should they so much as utter the word magic around him. She gave –  _gives –_ so much up for him. A part of Severus even feels guilty. He leaves her and leaves her and here is he asking to leave her for a reason that is not vital to him becoming a functioning member of society.

A tiny, very child-like part of him wonders if his leaving will hasten her death. She will see he's got a life that doesn't need her and she'll unconsciously begin to think it's time to die. She'll get sick sooner now, or she won't fight it as hard when she does. His mother is a miserable person sometimes. Loathful, even. Yet he knows he can't blame her. He's the one who chained her to this existence. It is because of him she gave up her name and fortune. Any chance for happiness.

He doesn't want her to die. She's the one who showed him his first spell. Promised his future would hold more than his father's.

Finally, he murmurs, "Montague."

There's quiet for a moment. "They had another son? After the first one?"

Severus peers through his hair up at her. He doesn't know what to say to that. Finally, he offers, "Yes?"

"Hm…"

He takes a cup as it is handed to him. Severus dries it before he asks, "May I visit him?"

"You'll have to arrange it. I can't take you, nor can I pick you up. Your father would murder me," she says. Then, she laughs, like it's a joke. It's hollow, however, and they both know it's not. His father just might.

Severus exhales with relief. "I can do that."

-o-O-o-

He's sitting out front of the Evans's home with Lily, waiting for Sage's brother, Boyd, to show up. Sage's brother knows how to apparate and he's sufficient enough at it he won't accidentally splinch Severus if he uses it to transport them to the Montague Estate. As time continues on, Lily hands him half of her sandwich from lunch.

"Thanks," he says, before taking a bite.

She smiles. "You'll be okay, right?" she asks.

He nods. "I'm to spend a weekend with a thirteen-year-old. I'll be fine."

"I know, but it's not just him… It's his mum and brother too."

Severus brushes the crumbs from his hands. Eyeing Lily, he asks, "You like Sage, don't you?"

She looks away, off at some distant point down the street. "He was very kind to Mary," she replies after a moment.

He snorts, more amused than anything. "That's a rather evasive answer."

Lily puffs out her cheeks. "He's more your friend than mine," she mumbles. "You don't really spend much time with the three of us together – like you do with Sirius."

Fleetingly, Severus wonders if she's jealous. In their last lifetime, Lily was his only close friend. Now, with Sirius, and Sage, he could have a small group of close friends given enough time. "I could have him study with us next year," he offers.

"Only if he wants to," Lily says. "I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

Severus is about to assure her she won't when a barrel-chested young man with slicked back hair comes up the path to Lily's house. He looks very much like Graham Montague, Severus notes. Undoubtedly this man is Graham's father, Boyd. When Sage's brother reaches Lily and him, he stares down at them. "Are you Severus Snape?" he asks.

Severus hops to his feet. "Yes," he answers. Putting out his hand he says, "It's nice to meet you, Boyd."

Boyd shakes it distractedly and then looks at Lily. "Who's she? Sage said I was only picking up one kid."

"Just a friend," Lily answers, now rising to her feet. She juts her thumb behind her and explains, "This is my house."

The young man frowns. "If you can get to a friends house, why has Sage made me come to get you?"

"Lily lives a few streets away from me," Severus tells him. "Honestly, I decided it was better I meet you here. Spinner's End really isn't the first place someone new to Cokeworth should visit." Then, more to Lily than Boyd, he murmurs, "Nevermind how Dad would react to a strange wizard at our house."

Boyd looks between the two of them, gaze inscrutable. "Right," he finally says. "Do you have your things together?"

Severus pulls on the straps of the knapsack Lily let him borrow. "Yes."

"Come on then, we should get going."

Lily steps forward and wraps Severus in a quick hug. "See you soon!"

"Bye," he returns.

Already walking back down the path, Boyd calls back, "Hurry up! I'm on a schedule!"

Before racing off after the young man, Severus promises, "I'll tell you if anything interesting happened when I get back."

Arms wrapped around her middle, Lily grins. "You better!"

He smiles back quickly as Sage's brother yells from a little ways down the street. "I will leave you here if you aren't at my side in the next thirty seconds!" Severus rolls his eyes at Lily, who smirks back at him, mirthful, and then sprints after Boyd.

He'd hate to be left behind and disappoint Sage, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	19. Branched: II

Severus stares at the large home. It's not quite as large (or ostentatious) as the Malfoy Manor, but it is still bigger than the majority of houses he's had the pleasure (or displeasure) of visiting. He turns to the young man beside him. "Your home is very impressive," he says politely. Severus's is not one for ingratiating himself to others, but Sage's brother is a bit of an unknown to him and he would prefer this weekend to not be a disaster. From what he understands and has seen, flattery, if done right, can quickly endear one to another.

Unfortunately, Severus finds, he did not do it right, when Boyd snorts. "Compared to the hovels of your town, you must think so," he jeers. "But, really, houses like ours are par the course for families of proper breeding."

He bites his tongue hard enough to hurt and silently reminds himself, 'You're here for Sage.'. But Merlin, Boyd is a  _prat_. Had his son been this way? Severus can't really recall. Graham was fairly well behaved, from what he does remember. Got into a bit of trouble with Gryffindors now and again, but that wasn't – and isn't – all that unusual.

The young man smirks at Severus before he begins to walk up the path to the home's front door. A moment later, as Severus hurries after him, in a lofty tone, Boyd informs him, "Wait another fifteen years,  _then_ this place will be worth calling impressive."

He makes sure the young man doesn't see him roll his eyes as he asks with fake interest, "What does that mean? What happens in fifteen years?"

"I have a plan I'm following. In fifteen years, the Montagues will be nearly as rich as the Blacks or Potters! If everything goes accordingly, anyway."

Severus can't say how well Boyd manages to follow his plan from his recollections, but he does know his son had a new racing broom every year he was at Hogwarts. Continuing his polite facade, he nods and hums appreciatively. Reaching the door, Boyd opens it for them, and then calls, "Topper!"

A moment later, an elderly house elf pops into existence. "'Lo, Master Boyd."

"Topper, please take Severus's things to the guest room down the hall from Sage's bedroom," Boyd orders.

The old elf holds out his gnarly hands for Severus's knapsack – which he promptly hands over. "Yes, Master Boyd."

Boyd nods once at Topper and then turns his attention to Severus. "Follow me," he tells Severus. "Sage is likely in Father's old study."

Severus hurries after the young man, trying to take in the home as he does so. The walls are painted an off-white and trimmed with cherry wood molding. While paintings and other decorative pieces are sparse, the few he does see as they travel through the hallways are quite tasteful in Severus's opinion. None are too garish or too plain. They are just colorful enough to catch the eye and make one want to stop and study them. Briefly, Severus wonders who's responsible for that. Is it Sage's mother? His father? A Grandparent?

"Here we are," Boyd says, stopping in front of a closed door. He puts his hand on the doorknob, only to pause in the middle of turning it. He looks down at Severus, expression threatening. "I don't know why Sage wants you here, since last year he was always complaining about how much of a prick and swot you are, but you better not make me regret fighting our mother to have you come spend the weekend."

His eyebrows raise a fraction. Fleetingly, Severus wonders if Boyd realizes just how much he gave away about his family. Perhaps he does, but doesn't care because he thinks Severus is just a nobody half-blood. Or maybe he doesn't. He is only eighteen. Eighteen-year-olds are dunderheads, more often than not. He's partial toward the first option, however. He was quite the arse when Severus complimented his home, after all.

Even so, Severus dips his chin in understanding. "I won't."

Boyd nods and finishes opening the door. Putting on a big smile, he shouts, "Look who's here!"

Sage, who's off to one side of the room, by a bookcase, turns his head. At the sight of them, his expression turns to one of delight. "You're here!" he yells. Hurrying over, he says, "I'm glad you came!"

Severus smiles back slightly. "It'd be rude not to," he says, then glancing at Boyd, adds, "especially after all the trouble your brother went to."

The boy shoots a vaguely confused look at his brother, but nods nonetheless. Sage then grabs his hand and pulls him toward the bookcase he was previously browsing.

"You know a lot about books. Which of these do you think has the best defensive spells? Dad liked to collect rare defense against the dark arts texts."

Skimming his finger over the spines of the books, Severus feels unusually excited at what he sees. Some of these books he's only ever  _heard_ of! Perhaps he will be able to convince Sage to let him take one or two home with him at the end of the weekend. Pulling one off the shelf, he begins, "Well,  _this_ one could prove to be very useful if you're looking for defense spells that will protect you from less  _precise_ spells, like a blasting curse…"

-o-O-o-

Like the evening's previous meal, Sage's mother, a tiny, compact woman with an equally small face (how she birthed her giant of a firstborn son, Severus doesn't know), refuses to look at Severus as she converses with her two sons. She talks about the twentieth-anniversary party she's planning for a friend. About how only the  _best_ witches and wizards are to be invited and they'll hold it somewhere  _spectacular,_ like at the seaside manor of a close cousin. Her bragging is so obvious in its attempt to make Severus feel poorly he finds it amusing. He makes sure Sage (and Boyd) knows this every time they glance his way with smirks and rollings of his eyes.

Often times, they'll smile back. They know what their mother is doing just as well as he does. They find it entertaining he not only knows, but finds it funny as well. After a while, it starts to feel like a game. How long will the Montagues' mother keep talking about this fairytale party before she realizes Severus is not the least bit envious or put off by her veiled contempt? So far, they are going on thirty minutes with no end in sight.

At one point, the woman prattles, "Perhaps your Great Uncle Demitri will attend. He doesn't much care for parties, but it was at a Christmas one your cousin Eustace's parents held at the manor he met Great Aunt Etta. He does so like visiting places that remind him of your great aunt."

Severus hasn't bothered to so much as introduce himself to the Montague brothers' mother since he first met her, but those names…

"Mrs. Montague, this Great Uncle Demitri of yours… Is his last name Prince, by chance?"

All three are looking at him now with their small, flinty blue eyes. This is the first time he's spoken since they sat down to eat. While Boyd and Sage's expressions are curious, their mother just frowns. Frowns as if he's insulted her drapes and her mother too. "Yes," she answers, tone clipped. Then, face brightening once more, she starts, "And if you like, boys, you can–"

"Why do you ask?" Boyd cuts in over the Montague woman. It's obvious in how he leans in Severus's direction he wants to know why  _that_ name, in particular, caught his attention over the rest his mother is throwing around, even if the Montague woman doesn't.

His mother sputters a bit, brows furrowing in a way that indicates she's about to scold her son for interrupting when Severus places his fork down and says, "My grandfather's name is Demitri, and my grandmother's Henrietta. Though, Mother did say once most people just called her Etta."

While the boy's eyes have gone quite large with surprise, the blood has drained from their mother's face, leaving her white as a ghost. Looking right at him now, she whispers, "How did I not  _see_ before?"

Severus, even though he's begun to suspect they are all related somehow, does not understand the Montague woman's reaction. Why does she look as if he's come back from the dead? "You've got Eileen's – Aunt Etta's – eyes  _exactly_."

"Mother?" Sage says, confusion clear in his voice.

Now on her feet, the small woman walks around the table and takes Severus's face in her hands. "And your  _name_ … She always was partial to ones that began with S."

Feeling quite uncomfortable, he attempts to pull away. If he had known this would be her reaction to him trying to rub in her face the very Demitri and Etta she spoke of so fondly were, in fact, his  _grandparents_ he would have never said anything. In his last lifetime, he'd never tried to look for his mother's family. His mother ran away to the Muggle world for a reason, hadn't she? She never tried to go back for a reason, right? While Severus never asked, he'd always believed –  _hoped_ – the reason he spent his whole childhood afraid was because it was the lesser of two evils.

He does not know Sage's mother well enough to tell if this is some kind of act, but the tears in her eyes look unforced and her sons' faces hold enough unease that Severus leans toward this being a genuine reaction. If his mother has someone like this in the magical world, why does she stay with his father? There are so many things in his life he would not give up, because of how they shaped him, but his childhood was not one of them. And his childhood includes  _Lily._ He would give her up in an instant if it means his childhood would not have been spent cowering against walls as his parents rowed and fearing thrashings from his father for accidental magic and fighting with the neighbor children.

In a whisper, he asks, "How are you two related, exactly?"

She finally takes her hands back to wipe away her tears. "We're second cousins on my fathers' side. But our families were very close as we grew up." She laughs. "I spent nearly half my summers home from Hogwarts minding your mother."

"Ah," Severus murmurs, not knowing what else to say.

Taking both of his hands in hers, she smiles. "Tell me, Severus, how is Eileen?"

Just as Severus is going to tell her she's just fine, an idea sparks to life in the back of his head. "Truthfully?" he starts, "Things could be better."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	20. Branched: III

Severus did not like Mrs. Montague's plan. He voices this, "This is a bad idea."

"Hush, child," she replies. Checking her makeup one last time in a hallway mirror, she tells him, "Everything will be fine."

He frowns. Severus has been talked down to a great deal over the past few years, but there's something about how Sage's mother speaks to him that rubs him wrong especially. Perhaps it's because she talks to her own children the same way – one of whom is technically a man. She's too cocky by half, no matter how one looks at it, however. Her certainty that her plan will work makes him want to scoff aloud every time she says it.

For the last couple of years his mother had been alive, in his first lifetime, when Severus was old enough to finally see avenues and prospects previously unknown to him, he often attempted to talk her into leaving father. He even offered to quit his schooling and support her (that suggestion had gone over as well as expected, she screamed at him and slapped him and told him to never dare mention quitting Hogwarts again). Severus just doesn't see how Mrs. Montague's plan is going to be any more effective.

"She loves him, you know," he reminds her.

The woman scowls. "He's sucking the life out of your mother, making her pretend to be something she's not!"

Severus shrugs his shoulders tersely. "I'm just warning you."

"Hmph," is all she has to offer in reply. Reaching out for his hand, then, she says, "Now, come here pet. It's high time we leave to talk some sense into your mother."

Silently, he sighs. Then, with great reluctance, he puts his hand in his distant cousin's grasp and waits for the familiar pull at his navel to begin.

-O-

When he walks into his home on Spinner's End, his mother is not immediately in sight. Taking the Montague woman into his family's kitchen, he says, "Sit."

Mrs. Montague's lips curl at the sight of the mismatched chairs at their kitchen table. But she sits nonetheless. As her eyes rove around the room, she says, "This place is very… _quaint_."

"It's a hole," Severus counters. Finished with filling the kettle with water, he sets it on the stove to heat up. Turning back around to face Sage's mother he says, "Tea should be ready in a few minutes."

She nods. Then, after a few moments of silence, she asks, "Where is your mother, do you think?"

"Doing a bit of shopping, I suspect."

"Ah."

Silence reigns until the kettle whistles a few minutes later. Hopping up from his seat at the table, Severus pours them each a cup and just as he's setting it down on the table, he hears the front door open. Before Mrs. Montague can say anything, he puts a finger to his mouth in a sign for silence. He next hurries to the kitchen's doorway to peek into the hall. He relaxes slightly when he sees it is, in fact, his mother.

Dad rarely comes home early from work, but it is not entirely unheard of for him to pop by for lunch on occasion. Usually, when Severus was very small, it was in an attempt to catch his mother teaching Severus "witchy" things.

"Hello, Mum," Severus calls.

Her lips quirk. A sign of a good mood. Shame that it's not to last. "You're back," she says. "How was your visit with your mate?"

Coming out of the kitchen, he goes and takes the small bundle of groceries from her. "Good," he answers. Then, softer, in hardly a whisper, he informs her "Mrs. Montague is here to see you."

Mum's eyes widen with horror. "No," she gasps.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. He means it too. He never meant for things to go like this. "She was talking about an Uncle Demitri and Aunt Etta and I had to know. I asked if their last name was Prince." He steps out of her reach and says once more, "I'm sorry."

She looks at him. Her expression is an amalgamation of so many negative emotions Severus can't even begin to pick one out among the dozens pinching her face. "It's fine," she mumbles. "I should have warned you ahead of time that we are related." Walking in his direction, she takes the groceries back from him. "Why don't you go see Lily, hm? I'm sure she's dying to hear about your time with the Montagues"

"Mum–"

" _Now_ ," she orders.

Severus glowers. Whatever's to come, it's not something he should be shut out of. He just knows he's going to be a topic of contention between the women and he'd rather be there to offer his input on his fate. For now, as much as he hates it, he'll be better off if he pretends to agree. If he does, he can sneak around the street and crawl over the garden wall and listen in from underneath the open kitchen window.

"Fine!" he spits. Feigning more anger than he really feels, he stomps out the front door. But as soon as he's outside, he's sprinting in the direction of the street behind the houses on Spinner's end. He's not going to miss more of what's to come than he absolutely has to.

-O-

"Vesta."

"You could look a little happier to see me, Eileen! It has been nearly fourteen years since I last saw you."

"I didn't invite you here."

"Since when did it become a crime for family to pop by to see how one of their own is doing?"

"I'm not family. I was disowned."

"Your grandfather's dead now. If you came home, I'm sure your father would reinstate you into the family. He never wanted you cut from the tree in the first place."

"If that was true, you think he would have fought Grandfather harder about my disownment."

"And bring even more shame to the Prince name? It would have never recovered its reputation!"

"How _terrible_. A ruined reputation! Do you even realize how contradictory that is to everything we were taught growing up? It was nearly family motto, ' _It's not what people think, but what you do, that matters_ '. And you know what? I've done something that _matters_. I have a son. A clever, clever son. He's going to do something great."

"You always were trouble. Always stepping over boundaries the rest of us knew never to cross."

"Once, you said you envied that about me."

"I did."

"Do you hate me?"

"Never for long. Certainly not after fourteen years."

"I… I have missed you. I've missed you more than everyone else."

"I've missed you as well. You were like a little sister to me, I loved you like one. Love you like one even now."

"Vesta."

"Come here, shh…"

The soft sound of muffled sobs filters out to Severus. It scares him. His mother rarely ever cried when he was growing up the first time, and when she did, it meant something was very, very wrong. Like father took all the money for food or heating and spent it on a night at the pub instead.

"What?" Mrs. Montague said after a time.

Voice thick, but firm, his mum says, "I'm not leaving with you."

"What!"

"I know why you're here. I'm not a dunderhead. I'm telling you right now I am not leaving. Tobias is imperfect, but I love him."

"Your son says you row almost daily with him! And I _know_ that is not the worst of it, even if it is all he would admit to being wrong here!"

"I'm not leaving my husband. I said until death do us part and I will stand by my promise!"

"What about your son? This house is not safe for him!"

"I can protect my own just fine!"

"I'm not leaving him here."

"He's not your child, you have no control over him!"

"He is a little boy and I will _not_ leave a child here to suffer. You have two choices right now. You and your son can come home with me, or you can stay here and let me take him home with me. If you refuse to pick one I will inform your father of the circumstances and he will use his connections in the Ministry to have the Aurors remove Severus."

"You bitch!"

"What will it be, Eileen?"

"Take him. I'm going to _love_ it when you have to return for him in a week after he runs away. Severus knows who his family is."

At his mother's declaration, Severus realizes he can't listen anymore. Won't. This is something he could have never predicted would happen in a million lifetimes. Getting to his feet, Severus doesn't even bother to try and be sneaky as he clambers over the garden wall and races in the direction of Lily's home. He needs to see her _now_.

-O-

"Lily!" he yells at the sight of his friend.

The girl looks up from the book she's reading on her house's front step. When she first meets his gaze, her expression is one of delight. It quickly changes to one of worry, however, when she sees his own face.

Getting up, she asks, "What's happened? What's wrong?"

Breathing hard, Severus wheezes, "Mum– Mrs. Montague– _they–_ " He can't get it out. In his frustration, his eyes start to tear up as he continues to sputter over his words, gasping and fighting for air.

Lily, looking more scared by the moment, begins to pat his back and whisper a litany of, "Calm down, calm down, calm down…"

Severus stops trying to talk and focuses instead on being able to breathe. A few minutes later, he no longer feels like he's drowning and thinks maybe, just maybe, he can tell Lily what's happened. In a hoarse voice, he says, "Mum has given me to Mrs. Montague."

"What!" she exclaims.

He buries his head in his shaking hands. Lily places a warm hand on the back of his neck. It's nice. Grounding. "I… We're related. The Montagues, my mother, and I. We're distant cousins, but their families were close when they were young. Mrs. Montague has made Mum choose between letting her take me or having Aurors remove me."

"What about your mum? Surely if they were so close she wouldn't want to leave her here all alone…"

Severus looks up at Lily. "She wanted Mum to come. But Mum won't. She loves my dad too much."

Biting her lip, Lily says, "I'm sorry. Severus, I don't know what to say." She sighs. Sitting down beside him, she puts an arm around his shoulders and murmurs, "Maybe this could be a good thing?" Severus tries to pull away a that, ready to yell at her, ready to call her a dunderhead, a know-nothing _Mudblood_ , but Lily holds fast. With finality, she tells him, "Your mum will miss you. You're her son. She'll come to visit you at Sage's and then eventually just decides to stay because she can't bear to be away from you anymore."

He sags into her side, hiding his face in her hair. It's a pretty dream, she's concocted. But Severus is far too versed in reality to just believe. "You don't know that. You can't," Severus mumbles. "She could refuse to see me to spite Mrs. Montauge. She could stay in Spinner's End all alone with Dad and die the exact same way she did last time. Only this time I won't be there to make sure she has a proper funeral."

"Trust me, Severus," Lily whispers. "I'm a mum. If I had to choose between James and Harry, I would always pick Harry."

As she begins to pet his hair, he says nothing. He wants to trust Lily, wants to believe, but he knows better. Lily may be a mum, but not all mums are Lily. Not all mums are so selfless, so strong, so ready to sacrifice all they know for their child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	21. Splitting

The rest of Severus's summer with the Montagues is a disconcerting time. Mrs. Montague spends it buying Severus everything from socks to a new school trunk (despite his many protests) and watching the manor's windows for owls (or, perhaps, his mother). As for Boyd, he's gone most of the time. Mrs. Montague says he's working, but Severus has a feeling the job Mrs. Montague thinks Boyd is doing and the one he's actually working are quite different. Even when the weather is insufferably hot in late July, Boyd wears long sleeve shirts. And Sage… Sage is almost always at Severus's side.

He wants to show Severus everything in the manor. Most of what they spend their time looking at are things connected to happy memories Sage has of his father. Severus wants to ask Sage about the less good aspects of his father, like how he died, but he keeps his lips sealed shut. If his friend (now cousin) wants to talk about it, he will. Pushing a child to speak about such horrible things will do no one any favors.

Shortly after coming to stay with the Montagues, Severus begins to get letters from Lily about the going ons of Cokeworth. She says it's as dull as always, but mentions on occasion that her mother sees his at the market. She writes once that his mother looked a little worn down and tries to spin it in a positive light for him. Lily insists it's a sign that soon enough Mum will see sense and join him at the Montague Manor. As for Severus? He doesn't hold his breath (even as he hopes and  _hopes_ she'll finally pick him over Dad).

In between letters to him, Lily must have mentioned to Sirius that Severus has moved houses, because the three youngest Black children begin to write him en masse. They are terribly fascinated by his being taken on as a ward by Mrs. Montague and want to know all about it. In one of his first letters, Sirius asks him if they treat him like a House Elf. Severus tells him quite expressly, that, no, he's not become some kind of woe-is-me Cinderella figure. With time and afterthought, he does begin to wonder if Sirius had been attempting humor in that question, but it soon becomes too late to ask without looking like a dunderhead.

About a week before they are to go back to Hogwarts, the Black boys manage to wear Severus down enough with their insistence that he should have them over that Severus dares to ask Mrs. Montague if she would allow a couple of his mates to visit When she hears theses mates are the Black's sons, she goes on cleaning spree with her family's house elf, Topper, and insists Severus and Sage wear their very best robes for the Black's visit.

When the day comes and the Black brothers see them, they laugh at their formal wear. Severus can't help but blush in embarrassment. He's not experienced such shame since he was last a boy and could not always make his own decisions. However, after the two stop laughing at them, they all go outside and spend most of the afternoon taking turns flying around on Sage and Boyd's brooms in addition to talking about the elective classes they are going to take this year. Both Sage and Sirius are going to take Care of Magical Creatures, all three of them are taking Ancient Runes, and Severus alone will be studying Arithmancy (but not really, since he knows Lily will be in his class too).

By the time Sirius and Regulus have to leave, Severus is actually disappointed to see them go. It's by far one of the most enjoyable summer days he's ever experienced. Severus writes Lily and informs her of this, needing to share this knowledge with someone who he knows will care. Lily writes back almost immediately, she tells him she's happy for him, but, next time, if he's going to have the Blacks over invite her too. She could use a summer day away from Cokeworth and it's ever smog-cloaked streets.

Severus promises that he will.

-o-O-o-

Finally, it's time for them to go back to Hogwarts. Severus finally feels like he can relax once more. It's not that the Montagues aren't nice, but Sage almost never leaves him alone, Mrs. Montague bounce between smothering him with affection and lecturing him on his "plebian" manners, and Boyd, when he's around, is more often than not trying to goad him into childish behavior.

Standing beside Sage as Mrs. Montague talks at them, ordering they behave themselves and do her proud, he looks around at the crowds. He notes familiar figures, there is Narcissa with her parents and Lucius, off that way is Peter Pettigrew and his parents (he'd never paid the Marauder's parents much mind in his first lifetime, but Peter looks  _nothing_ like his trim, bespectacled parents. It makes him wonder if the boy's not adopted), and– That's a sour face he hasn't seen yet in this lifetime, as recognizable as it is. The scraggly, brunet boy there is Edmund Scabior

By Severus's death, he was one of the highest ranking Snatchers. Right now, however, he's going to become one of the biggest thorns in Slytherin's side. After he came along in his and Lily's first time through Hogwarts, Severus became the  _second_ biggest drain on Slytherin house points. That was no small feat to accomplish at the time either, since Severus never went a week through school without losing at least twenty house points. Frowning thoughtfully at the child, Severus wonders if he can find a way to make Scabior a productive member of their house rather than a drain. They came in second this last year for the House Cup. Severus would very much like it if they could start his house's winning streak while he's a student, rather than while he's a professor, like the first time.

Suddenly, Severus is poked in the side. Reaching for his wand, he nearly hexes the poor sod with cross eyes when he sees that it's Lily. She's grinning blithely at him, utterly ignorant to how close she came to disfigurement.

"Hiya," she greets.

He smiles back at her. "'Lo."

"Come with me, my parents want to say hello before we have to board the Express."

Severus looks to Mrs. Montague, who's now silent. "I'll be back in a moment," he tells her.

The woman frowns. "Don't you think you should introduce me to your friend first?"

He sighs quietly. "Lily, this is Mrs. Montague. My cousin."

Lily puts out her hand to shake Mrs. Montague's. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam."

Mrs. Montague sniffs snootily and only briefly touches Lily's hand before wiping it off on her robe. "You're the Muggleborn that did not live far from Severus's house in Cokeworth, aren't you?"

She frowns up at the woman. "Yes," she answers simply.

Severus decides to intervene before Sage's mother could say anything truly insulting. "Let's go see your parents. You said they wanted to chat, right?"

Lily gaze snaps to him. "That's right."

"Severus, you really should consider who you speak to in public. People  _are_ watching," Mrs. Montague chides.

Annoyed, Severus takes Lily's hand. As he begins to guide her off, he says, "You aren't my mother."

That leaves the woman gaping at him. He's been far too compliant for her. Severus will have to make sure he changes that as time goes on. He can't let her continue thinking he's just a dog to order around.

-O-

It doesn't take long for Lily and him to make their way their way through the crowds and to the Evans. When the couple and Petunia see them, their eyes brighten. It makes him nervous.

"Here he is!" Lily proclaims as they come to a slow stop in front of her family.

Mr. Evans looks him over. "Lily says family on your mother's side has taken you in."

"Yes, sir."

Smiling, Mrs. Evans remarks, "They seem to be taking good care of you. Those robes look new."

Severus glances down at himself. "My cousin is," he replies earnestly.

"Has your mother spoken to you much? Since you went to stay with your cousin?" the woman asks.

He looks away. "Not… Not much."

Mr. Evans frowns. "The no owls rule still in place, lad?"

He grudgingly nods.

Reaching into his breast pocket, the man pulls out a cigarette and lights it. Eyeing Severus through the smoke, he asks, "Anything you'd like us to say to her if we see her?"

Severus can't hide his surprise. That is an offer he never expected. "Yes," he replies. "Would you… Would you tell her I miss her?"

Both of Lily's parents nod. "Of course, Severus," Mrs. Evans says kindly.

Tentatively, he smiles back. The Express whistles. As Severus turns his head to look at the train, Lily swoops toward her family and hugs them all. "I'll write you later tonight!" she promises.

"Come on, Lily, we better hurry if we want to get a compartment together."

She dips her head in agreement and waves at her family as they head for the train. As they join the other children rushing to get on the Express, Severus thinks of his mother. He hopes she does get the message from the Evans. He would very much like her to know he's not forgotten her. While Severus knows better than to hope, he still can't help but wish for that one message to be enough to bring her back into the magical world (and to him).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	22. Splitting: II

Filing out of the defense classroom behind Sage, he hardly waits until they are past the room's threshold to say, "He's an incompetent creep."

Sage turns his head, a bemused look on his face. However, before he can say anything, Evan Rosier comes up beside Severus and scoffs loudly. "Don't you think it's a bit early to be deciding that? I don't know where you got the creep part, but he didn't sound incompetent to me. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about when explaining what we'll be going over this year in his class."

Severus wants to say he's a creep because he knows the man will be barred from teaching at Hogwarts again next year (or ever) because of rumors about him having lewd interactions with upper year girls, but he can't. Instead, he says, "Did you not see the way he was watching the sixth year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff girls as they were leaving the classroom when we came in? It was disgusting."

Rosier scowls as a few of their fellow Slytherins exchange glances. Severus holds back a sigh. Of course they didn't notice. Why had he expected they would? They are all thirteen. Teenagers are known for their self-absorbed behavior and it would take a hippogriff crashing through one of the walls to Hogwarts's classrooms for them to notice anything that isn't right in front of their noses. "Watch him the next time we have class," Severus advises.

"And the incompetent part?" William Wilkes presses.

Severus is amused by his question. While Wilkes is obviously trying to back up Rosier by wearing a tough expression, his tone is far too genuine in its curiosity. "I dare one of you to ask him about werewolves or vampires," says Severus. "He's going to perpetuate superstitions. Like if you are bitten by a werewolf when they are not in their wolf form you will become a werewolf too."

"You don't?" Lilith Crabbe asks, surprised.

He rubs a hand down his face. " _No_." Briefly making eye contact with all of the students huddled around him, Severus explains, "You only become a werewolf when you are bitten by one in their wolf form. _However_ , it is not unheard of for one to take on characteristics of lycanthropy if bitten by a werewolf who is in their witch or wizard form. They might end up having insomnia on nights of the full moon, or their sense of smell might sharpen some."

"Wow, where'd you learn this stuff?" questions Sage.

Severus hesitates. The part of the library open to everyone at Hogwarts has few books that go so in-depth on werewolves and lycanthropy. But the Restricted Section… "Unless you're sure you can get into it without getting caught, don't do it," he warns first. "But I was looking through books in the restricted section one night and read up on lycanthropy."

"Why were you reading up on it?" Wilkes asks.

He almosts says it's because he suspects a student in their year is one. However, Lily would be furious with him. She cares about Remus and would definitely severe their friendship if he outed Remus so callously. He sighs. "I was just interested."

None of his classmates look like they quite believe him, but they let it drop.

"What's going on here?" Lily calls from behind the wall of Slytherins.

Severus stands on his toes and meets her gaze. "Just talking about the professor," he explains.

She raises an eyebrow. "What about that berk is worth discussing?" she demands.

He laughs as he elbows his ways through his fellow Slytherins. "Nothing."

Severus can feel his classmates watching as the two of them walk off together, but he doesn't care. Honestly, they should be used to him leaving them for Lily. This time, Lily will always be first.

-o-O-o-

"Oi, what do you think you're doing?"

Edmund Scabior looks up from the book he is shredding to pieces. He scowls, disgruntlement clear. "What does it look like I'm doin'?"

Severus crosses his arm and studies Scabior and scene more closely. Finally, he sighs. "Who's book is that?"

The boy grins wickedly. Voice chipper, he says, "Felicity Flint's. The bint wouldn't let me copy 'er notes."

"Is there a reason you couldn't take the notes yourself?"

Scabior scowls. "Course there was!"

"Oh? And what reason is that?" Severus demands.

The boy begins to flounder. "I– I–"

Severus doesn't have time for this. Whatever reason Scabior could have for not taking the notes himself is going to be juvenile and stupid. Perhaps he just didn't want to, or he fell asleep in class because he's been homesick and not gotten much sleep. Severus has promised himself he wouldn't do this while he's a student, but…

He connects eyes with Scabior and dives into his mind. He finds a memory of Scabior staring at the board in charms, but the writing on it is fuzzy instead of legible. Scabior then moves his attention to his mostly blank parchment of notes and he crumples it up in frustration before shoving it over the edge of his desk. 'Ah,' Severus thinks, 'he's near-sighted.' From his days as a professor, Severus knows it's quite normal for pureblood and half-blood near-sighted children to come to Hogwarts not knowing they need glasses. It's not until they are in classroom settings where they have to read things from far distances that they realize something's wrong.

He jerks his head in the direction of the common room's entrance. "Come on," he says to Scabior. "Madam Pomfrey can fix you up with some glasses."

Scabior gapes. "What?"

"You've been having trouble reading the boards in class, right?" Severus asks, annoyed at how long this is taking

"'Ow–"

Severus sighs loudly. "Do you want to be able to see the boards or not?"

"Yes!"

He motions once more to the entrance. "Let's go then."

Scabior hurries to his feet and starts toward the door. Severus begins to follow, but falters after a step and looks back at the remains of Felicity Flint's book. He pulls out his wand and casts a repair spell. Everyone will be much happier if the girl finds her book intact. When he looks back to Scabior, he finds the boy gaping at him.

"You fixed it!"

Severus rolls his eyes. "It's not Flint's fault you're blind."

"But–"

He grabs the younger boy and drags him out of the common room. "Flint has two older brothers, do you know that? One's a fifth year and the other is a seventh. If they find out you ruined their sister's book they _will_ get you for it." As they move through the dungeons in the direction of the infirmary, he adds, "Flints are quite nasty. They aren't afraid to play dirty."

"Why are you 'elping me? Da always said that in Slytherin it's every man for 'imself."

He glances at the boy. "You'll find that's not always the case. Especially with me. Ask around sometime."

This seems to stun Scabior into silence and he compliantly follows Severus to the infirmary. Stopping in front of the doors, he tells the boy, "Go in and tell Madam Pomfrey you can't see the notes on the boards from the back of the classroom. She'll test your eyes and give you a pair of glasses. Since this is your first visit, she might try and insist you stay for a checkup. You can sit through that if you want, but if you don't want that, tell her you don't have time and you're going to meet with a mate soon."

Scabior starts to look around, as if contemplating an escape. Severus smirks. The lad doesn't know who he's dealing with. Gesturing to the wall beside the doors, he tells him, "I'll wait right here for you."

"I'm not a baby!" the boy snaps.

He nods. "Yes," Severus says, "I can see that." Pushing the door to the infirmary open he tells Scabior, "I also know how boys like you work. So, I'll be waiting."

The boy makes a rude gesture at him before he stomps into the infirmary. Severus snorts, vaguely amused. He then takes a seat beside the doors and settles in to wait. He knows that this problem is not the one he set out to solve, but hopes that when the time comes to fix Scabior's issues with those in other houses, Scabior will remember this. Remember this and realize that Severus is on his side and only wants to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	23. Splitting: III

For once, Severus is all alone. Well, not  _completely_  alone; he is in the library. The library has a number of students all over the place. Some are looking for books on the shelves, while others sit at tables studiously reading or scribbling on a parchment madly. But, for once, it is just him at a tiny table tucked behind a shelf near the back of the room. Lily is off dealing with an "emergency" that involves a couple of her dormmates and a fourth-year Hufflepuff they both fancy.

As for Sage, he's in detention. Severus can't help but think he deserves it. The boy should have been more clever about getting back at their fellow third years for insulting Severus's parentage. And if he's honest with himself, Severus is more insulted that Sage didn't think he could handle it himself. Has the boy forgotten what he did when their dormmates were throwing around the word Mudblood? What Rosier said to Crabbe really isn't half as bad as some of the things he's been called over the course of his two lifetimes either. In fact, he'd been perfectly ready to just let it go.

He snorts quietly to himself, realizing just how out of character a plan of action like that is for him. How many times had people told him to let things go in the past and he hadn't? Far more times than he can remember, that's for sure. It's a bit amazing, but he's finally learned what is and isn't worth his time. It only took a lifetime and then some.

Severus's thoughts wander to Sirius. He wonders if he can teach the other not to be so hot-headed too. He's definitely becoming less like the schoolboy Severus remembers from his first lifetime with each passing day. For one, he doesn't target Slytherins for nasty pranks anymore. Though, Severus will have to wait and see if that lasts. This is Narcissa's last year at Hogwarts, and while Sirius might be leery of setting her off, he's definitely not against upsetting his younger brother. In fact, he seems to take some joy out of it. Severus never had siblings, but it appears to be a common thing with them. Boyd likes to wind up Sage where he can too.

The clearing of a throat draws Severus from his musings.

Lifting his head up from behind the thick textbook he'd been hiding behind, he scowls. "What do you want?" he demands.

Taking off his glasses, James fiddles with cleaning them as he says, "Can we talk? Just for a minute?"

"What are we doing right now?" Severus sneers.

The boy frowns. "I don't know why Lily and Sirius like you so much. You're a prick."

"You're not so amazing yourself, despite what Sirius and Lily try and lead me to believe."

James sits down across from him. "Last year, I saw Channing with one of the cats that went missing."

Severus is left speechless.

"That's why I went with Lily to get a professor. I wanted to tell them about seeing her with one of the missing cats." His expression a bit helpless, he continued, "If I'd known she was going to  _kill_ the cat, I would have asked what she was doing with someone else's familiar when I saw her…"

His bearings returning to him, Severus croaks, "Does Lily know you saw her with one of the cats?"

"Yes," he answers. "But I asked her not to tell anyone. I didn't want people asking me all kinds of questions I wouldn't know the answer to." He sighs. "Or why I didn't stop Channing…"

In a way that could be described as comforting, Severus tells him, "Only a dunderhead would ask why you didn't stop her. Students pet and play with one aother's familiars all of the time."

James looks a little less downtrodden at this, but Severus is beginning to question so many things. Had Albus really believed him because of what he said and his memories? Or had he believed him because it confirmed what James told him? In little more than a whisper, he asks, "Why didn't you say anything about seeing her with the cats when you learned they were missing?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Like you said, students pet and play with other's familiars all the time. It seemed silly."

Angrily, Severus snaps, "Well, it wasn't!"

Some students glance their way as Madam Pince appears almost as if by apparition. "Shh!" she hisses.

Gathering his things, he grumbles, "No worries, I'm leaving!"

"Are you cross with me?" James questions, hurrying to his feet to follow Severus.

He spins around and shoves him away. "Yes! If you had just bloody  _said_ something to  _anyone_ there may have only been one dead cat!"

James stares back, gobsmacked. Severus makes a noise of disgust and stalks out of the library. Now, he  _really_ wants to be alone. Alone as in no one but him in a room where he won't be bothered.

-O-

"You didn't show up for dinner. I thought I'd bring you a couple of rolls."

Severus doesn't look up from the book he's brooding over.

Lily sighs. "Do you want to talk me through what happened? James is blaming himself now for the dead familiars."

"Good!"

Severus suddenly falls out of his chair after a pair of hands roughly shove him. "Belt up!" Lily snaps. "Just because you're cross about something doesn't mean you can take it out on a kid!"

Getting to his feet, Severus yells back, "Watch me!" Pointing at her, he growls, "He told me you knew he saw Channing with the cat. Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Undeterred by his behavior, Lily scowls at him. "He asked me not to. If Sage asked you not to tell anyone something, would you tell me what he said? What about if it were Sirius or Narcissa who asked you?"

"That's different!" Severus argues. "If they didn't want others to know something it would be because it's  _personal_. What he saw wasn't personal, it was even past being useful information!"

Lily put her hands out in a begging motion. "Exactly. It didn't matter if you knew or not. It wasn't useful. Channing was already expelled by the time I could have took you aside to tell you what James saw."

"I wonder, would Channing have been expelled without James information? Somehow, I doubt it."

His friend throws her arms up. "What are you going on about? Of course she would have been! What you saw was damning!"

"Was it really?" Severus demands. "Albus thinks there's something wrong with me." Turning away from Lily, he says, "I'm rather certain he and the rest of the professors thought I was responsible for the deaths."

Arms wrap around him. He stays still, refusing to accept comfort. "Sev," Lily mumbles into his shoulder blades. "I know we haven't discussed it, but if you wanted to tell someone about us, I'd be alright if it were Albus. I know you hate how he doesn't respect you like he did in our last lifetime."

He scoffs. "I doubt he would respect me after – even if he believed us."

Severus feels her warm breath fan across his back. He nearly shivers. Fucking  _hormones_. Quietly, Lily murmurs, "Then that would be his loss, not yours."

With care, he extracts himself from Lily and turns around to face her. Unable to help himself, he leans in and presses a chaste kiss to her lips. "Thank you," he says. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Lily's fingers hover just below her lips, like she can't quite believe he kissed her. Severus can't really believe he did it either. He's likely overstepped their boundaries. Lily probably still feels she is a married woman— Even if her husband is a thirteen-year-old boy who's warring between thinking girls are gross and wanting to kiss one. He hopes she's not upset with him. This would be an awful way for their friendship to end for the second time. Especially since Severus doesn't think he's quite in control of himself as he once was.

Finally, his friend whispers, "You need to apologize to James."

He frowns. That's what she's going to say to him after he kissed her? "Maybe."

"Severus."

He huffs loudly and says, "Fine. Later. Look, I was about to start on a sensitive potion. I'll need complete silence to concentrate. Do you think you can come back later?"

Lily blinks, looking a bit miffed. "Yes. I'll come back just before curfew?"

"Alright," Severus replies, putting his back to her as he pretends to gather together supplies he'll need for his "potion". He continues to go through the motions until he hears her leave. Once he's sure she's gone, he lets his shoulders droop and he runs a hand through his hair.

'That could have gone better,' he thinks. 'At least I know when to leave here to avoid talking to her about it…'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	24. Splitting: IV

He avoids Lily. For days, he dodges her in corridors, skips classes he has with her, spends all his free time in his dorm room. Of course, others notice. Sage asks if they're rowing after he skips his second class with her. He says not exactly and refuses to elaborate. Interestingly, after that, Narcissa comes to him speak to him personally. He suspects Sage of telling her about his odd behavior.

Narcissa likes him, talks to him, but she's a seventh year preparing for her NEWTs. She doesn't have a lot of time for the petty drama of younger years. She asks if they're having a lover's spat. Severus must have given something away, tensed, maybe, at that remark, because she needles him for a good hour after that question.

" _I'm right, aren't I? Did you tell Lily you fancy her? Or did you do something more forward? Like,_ kiss _her perhaps?"_

_"It's nothing."_

_"Sweetie, it's obvious_ something _is going on. You and Lily are attached at the hip most days."_

_"Look, I'm handling it on my own, alright?"_

_"You're a clever boy, but you are only thirteen. I know a lot more about relationships than you."_

_"Really now? Miss-Lucius-Malfoy-is-My-First-and-Only-True-Love?"_

_"Belt up you little prick. My one relationship is still one more than you have had!"_

_"Hmph."_

_"Look, I need to go study for an Astronomy exam. If you need me, however, now or later, don't hesitate to ask."_

_"I won't need your help, but… Thank you."_

_"Of course, Severus."_

When he still avoids Lily and classes with her after his talk with her, Sage becomes a brooding form. If the circumstances were different, he'd find it funny. Unfortunately, Severus is too busy just trying to make it through the day and put off what he knows it going to be a very annoying, embarrassing conversation about what he did. As his first week of dodging Lily draws to a close, he begins to wonder just how much longer he can keep this up. He'd not actually expected things to last this long.

Is Lily avoiding him too? He doesn't blame her if she is. He should have had better control of himself.

-o-O-o-

Severus grabs his wand from under his pillow and sits bolt up. Someone gasps and falls. Blinking through the darkness, he sees Sage on the floor beside his bed, clutching his arm.

"Shit," he says, scrambling to get out of bed. "Did I hurt you?" he asks.

The boy shakes his head. "Just bruised it hitting the floor. I ducked in time," he replies. "But I think Wilkes is going to need new curtains for his bed."

Severus looks up from Sage to Wilkes's bed across from his. He sighs when he sees the large cut in the middle of one of the curtains. With a quick repairing spell, it's as good as new. "It's fine," he tells Sage.

Shakily getting to his feet, the boy says, "Brill. We won't have to listen to William whine about it in the morning."

"Why did you wake me?"

"It's Scabior," Sage says. "I saw him leaving the dorms when I got up to use the lav."

He furrows his brows. "That's not good. That wanker has already lost our house ten points this week for getting into a fight with those second year Hufflepuffs."

"Exactly! Let's go find him and bring him back!"

Severus can't help but find Sage's eagerness a bit suspicious. Sage really doesn't seem to care about much of anyone in their year let alone a first year he's known all of a month and a half. Even so, Severus _does_ care about his housemates (which he connects to being a Head of House for nearly seventeen years, it's hard to stop worrying about students even after you're not a Head anymore). So, he gets up and throws on a robe and some shoes.

"Let's go," he says.

The boy nods and hurries ahead. "Maybe we can catch him if we hurry!"

-O-

After twenty minutes of fruitless searching for Scabior, Severus says, "This is hopeless. He's probably already gone back to the dorms." He hates to say it, but it's probably the truth. Scabior is a lot of trouble, but he's not a complete dunderhead. Even after only a month and a half at Hogwarts, Severus is sure he knows better than to test his luck being out after curfew for too long.

"Just one more classroom," Sage insists.

Severus sighs. "Fine."

They walk into the next open one and Severus's heart stops. "Lily," he croaks.

The girl turns her head away from Sirius, whom she's been talking to. Her expression is one of surprise. "What?" she says.

"Finally!" Sirius exclaims, moving toward him and Sage. "You two took forever to get here!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Severus demands, feeling angry at being tricked. He should have _known._

Matching his glower, Sage tells him, "You weren't doing anything to fix your problem with Lily on your own, so I'm making you!"

"I'm going to _murder_ you both!" Severus hisses, because he just knows Sage and Sirius came up with this plot together.

Sharply, Lily calls, "Severus."

He looks at her.

Face determined, she says, "We might as well talk. We were going to have to eventually."

Severus sighs. Pointing at the doorway, he tells the two, "Leave."

Looking terribly smug, the pair all but flounce from the room. Crossing his arms, Severus and Lily stare awkwardly at each other for a few moments. Severus asks, "How did Sirius get you to come here?"

"He said he wanted to talk about his cousin, Andromeda. He was acting like he wanted to write her, but was afraid of what would happen should Narcissa or Regulus notice her owl dropping off letters."

Severus scoffs. "They would probably join him in writing. Narcissa misses Andromeda. Regulus just wants Sirius and her to like him." He looks away, softly, he says, "They're all insufferable."

"The Blacks?"

"The Blacks, Montagues, Potter, Scabior, take your pick."

"Scabior?"

He nods. "That's how Sage got me to leave our dorm. He said he saw Scabior leaving the dorms."

"Oh."

There's more silence for a minute or two. Neither of them will look straight at the other and Severus really doesn't want to be the first to speak. Finally, Lily, ever the Gryffindor, starts bravely, "You kissed me," side-eyeing him, she adds, "on the mouth."

He winces, but, again, says nothing.

"Do you fancy me?"

Severus clenches his hands into fists at his side. "I don't know," he lies.

"It's okay if you do. I… Sometimes I fancy you too."

He frowns. "What does sometimes mean?"

Lily twists a lock of hair between her fingers. "It's really hard, you know?" She gestures around, at herself. "It's just you and me. There's no one else who would even understand a fraction of what we went through and are going through." Smiling at little at him, she continues, "And you're so good at everything most of the time. Reassuring me that things are going to turn out alright, coming up with clever plans…" Eyes soft and proud, she tells him, "It's proof that you've changed. You're the man I always knew you could be."

"Why don't you fancy me all of the time?" he asks.

She bites her lip. Turning so he can only see her profile, Lily begins to run a finger over the surface of a desk. He knows she's tracing the grooves of the wood. She used to do that when they were students the first time. Usually, it meant she was thinking very hard about an exam question. "The James I married is dead," she begins, "but there's another one here. Seeing him… It makes me miss the one I knew, reminds me how much I loved him. How much I love this one, this little boy. He's going to be _my_ James someday and I…" she wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I loved my time with him. I loved him. I want what I lost back."

He's annoyed. It's always fucking James with her. "He's not going to be that James, though," he points out. "Circumstances are different. Things have changed so much already that _he's_ different."

Lily droops a little. "I know," she whispers. "But I can't help but hope. I know you don't believe me when I tell you so, but James did grow up. He was a wonderful husband and father."

He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Lily, he was an absolute berk to me throughout our school days." In a low growl, he says, "Yet you _still_ married him."

"Yes, I did. I never forgot what he did to you, though." She sighs. "Look, I think we boh know there's nothing I can say that will make you okay with my relationship with James. So, please, can we just drop it?" Lily begs.

Severus would just love to carry on fighting about her and James, but that's not going to resolve the issue at hand. So, he grumbles, "Whatever."

"Can you tell me now why you kissed me?"

He pulls his wand from his sleeve and begins to fiddle with it as he considers how best to explain. Finally, he begins, "I know I shouldn't have. I usually have better control of myself, but…" He fights down an embarrassed flush that wants to rise to his cheeks as he mumbles, "The hormones."

Lily giggles for all of a moment before she slaps a hand over her mouth. "Sorry," she says, voice muffled. "It's just, well, I know _exactly_ what you're talking about. I've had a couple of moments like that myself."

Severus relaxes a little, feeling just a bit better knowing she understands _that_ aspect of the kiss. "You said it would be Albus's loss if he didn't respect me after knowing all that I did for him and the cause. No one has ever said it would be someone else's loss if they didn't think well of me." Letting his hair cascade in front of his face, he mumbles, "I kissed you because it meant so much to me. Saying thank you didn't seem like enough."

"Oh, Sev," Lily sniffles.

He keeps his head down as she approaches and pushes his hair out of his face. As Lily cradles his face between the warm palms of her hands, he's made to stare right into her bright, emerald eyes. "Please tell me you're not crying for me," he whispers.

Lily's chin scrunches unbecomingly as she gives a jerky shake of her head. "N-No." She sobs, " _Yes_."

Severus wraps his arms around her and brings her into a tight embrace. "You shouldn't. I'm really not as good as you think I am."

"We let you down! We made you think you were worthless! If we hadn't…"

He shushes her. "Stop. We can't change our past. All we can work with is what's in front of us right now."

"I know," she whimpers. "There's nothing we can do But… But can I cry for a while? For how things could have been if I'd just known?"

He sighs quietly. He's never been able to deny her things he can give her. "Yes."

And, for a while, Severus stands there. Holding Lily as she cries enough tears for the both of them over things he's lost and long since stopped believing he'd ever have again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	25. Splitting: V

Severus is on his way to the library to work on an arithmancy paper when he spies Potter and a couple of the Marauders walking on the other side of the corridor. He'd rather have run into Potter when he was alone, but this will do. He needs to apologize before it becomes too late and it's festered too long. Lupin and Sirius will wonder why he's pulling Potter away to talk to him (especially because he's not hidden his distaste for the other at all), but Lupin doesn't pry and Potter is possibly even more stubborn than Sirius. Potter will never tell Sirius about what conspired between the two of them unless Severus okays it.

Hurrying in the trio's direction, he calls, "Potter!"

The boy looks in his direction. A frown pulling at the corner of his lips, he asks, "Yes?"

Ignoring the way Sirius and Lupin are looking at them, Severus says, "Can we talk?"

Potter crosses his arms. "Right here we can."

"Potter…" Severus growls.

Unintimidated, the boy things his lips and tells him, "If you have something to say, say it. We don't have a lot of time. Peter's gobstone practice starts soon."

Severus sighs. "Fine," he bites. Then, through gritted teeth, he says, "I'm sorry about what I said the other day. I wasn't mad at you, I was angry at someone else. None of what happened last year was your fault."

Potter blinks, surprised. Evidently, an apology is the last thing he was expecting from Severus. "…Okay. Thanks." He glances at Lupin and Sirius. Obviously finding something he was looking for in their faces or stances, he asks Severus, "Do you want to come to the tournament with us? Gobstones is actually fun to watch and Peter's pretty good at it."

He shakes his head. "I have an arithmancy paper to write," he tells him. "Maybe another time?"

The boy nods. "Yeah, another time."

-o-O-o-

He drags a whinging Scabior through the portrait hole into their moderately student-filled common room only to let him go give the ruffled boy a shove toward the dorm's stairs. "Go put on some robes that aren't torn and bring me that one to fix," he orders.

Face indignant, Scabior starts, "You aren't my moth–"

"I'll hex you if you don't move it," cuts in Severus.

The first year's teeth click together. Scabior glances behind him, likely at a few of Severus's fellow third years. Scabior sags for a moment before he flounces away in the direction of the stairs. Severus almosts smirks. He's sure his yearmates made it quite clear that Severus is not bluffing about possibly hexing Scabior should he not listen to him.

He watches Scabior to ensure he goes up the stairs to the dorm before he turns around to give his attention to his housemates. Severus feels quite gratified when he sees Sage and Regulus sitting together on the floor with a deck of exploding snaps between them. It's good that the two are getting along. Sage needs actual friends in Slytherin and not just acquaintances.

He approaches the pair and takes a seat between them. "It's like he wants to have his face smashed in!" he complains as he accepts a hand of cards that Regulus gives him.

"Perhaps he'd learn something if it was," Sage mutters as he throws down a card, starting the game.

Severus furrows his brows, thinking of the Scabior he knew from his last lifetime. He'd picked fights just the same as this one. He got black eyes, broke teeth, and received bloody noses by the dozen, yet never seemed to learn anything from it. Something told Severus Scabior rather liked the pain – or perhaps he got off in some way from egging _wizards_ into fistfights. "I don't believe he would," Severus finally says.

Sage snorts as Regulus draws a new card from the communal pile. "Why are you so invested in him?" Regulus asks. "His family is a bunch of chavs."

This information gives Severus a pause. He honestly did not know that. Once, Scabior had been as important to him as an ant was to whale. Now, though, he understands why Scabior's gotten under his skin. They come from similar backgrounds and Severus sees himself a bit in the boy. With the right guidance…

"What do you think my family is?" he says.

Regulus frowns, perplexed. He glances at Sage, who pointedly turns his gaze to the cards in his hands in response. When he sees that the older is not going to be of any help, Regulus slowly mumbles, "The Montagues are… Respectable."

"Yes, they are," Severus agrees – if only for Sage's sake. He thinks (is certain) there's much more to the Montagues than what little he saw over the summer and what he knows from his previous lifetime. "But the Snapes are far from it."

The younger frowns and Severus truly begins to wonder just how dumb Regulus is when the boy's eyes go a fraction wider. Face now red, he mumbles, "Oh." And drops his gaze to cards. "You haven't always lived with them, have you?"

Severus rolls his eyes and is about to tell him that it's not a big deal when a robe lands in his lap. He looks up to see Scabior glaring at him. "'Ere it is!" he spits.

"Good," says Severus. He points to the empty spot across from him. "Take a seat."

The boy glowers some more and shuffles in place. Severus keeps a steady gaze. Finally, Scabior does as he's told. Severus takes out his wand and fixes the robe. He then passes it and his hand of cards off to Scabior.

"Play a round with them," he advises before getting to his feet.

"Oi, where are you goin'!" the ill-mannered brat shouts after him.

Severus glances over his shoulder at Scabior. "To meet Lily." With a sneer, he says, "If she's still waiting for me, anyway. Getting you here took quite a long time."

The boy's face screws up in annoyance, but there's really nothing for him to say. Well, he certainly could say _something_ , but just about everyone who's dared to say anything disparaging about Lily up until this point knows Severus won't stand for it and has passed this information along to everyone else in their house.

Pleased by the reaction, Severus leaves. He may want to help Scabior become something greater than what he was in his first lifetime, but he doesn't care half as much about him as he does about keeping Lily in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	26. Splitting: VI

"It was terrible!" she sobs. "I just wanted to further discuss defense spells that could be used in duels…"

"Shh…" a voice Severus can distinctly identify as Narcissa hushes.

The other girl, who Severus still can't identify whimpers, "This is all my fault. I've seen the way he looks at some our classmates. Merlin, a few even _return_ those looks. Why shouldn't he have thought I was one of those silly girls?"

"No, Clara! Don't _think_ that," Narcissa scolds. "Professor Higgs was hired to teach us, not chase the skirts of sixteen and seventeen-year-old girls."

"I still feel like an idiot," the girl, who Severus now knows is Clara Parkinson, hiccups.

"You shouldn't," says Narcissa in a gentle, sweet voice that he's only ever heard her use when talking to her infant son in their last lifetime together. "Have you thought about telling another professor? I hear Professor Sprout is very easy to talk to about girl problems."

"I can't. It's too embarrassing. Then there's my father… " Clara trails off for a moment. "He already screens all my letters when I'm home to make sure I'm only writing to respectable wizards and not trash like Weasleys or Scabiors. Can you imagine what he would do if he heard someone defiled me? He'd pull me out faster than you can say blast-ended Skrewt!"

"Still, other girls need to know to be careful around Professor Higgs," Narcissa insists, voice taking on a stubborn edge.

"I'm not telling anyone, Narcissa. Full stop!" Clara pushes back

For a few moments, all Severus can hear is the slightly hurried beating of his own heart.

Then, in little more than a whisper, Narcissa offers," "…What if I told other girls it was me he fondled?"

Clara gasps. "Are you mental? What happens when Lucius finds out you were 'fondled'? He could break off your engagement!"

"I'll write him," replies Narcissa. Confidentially, she tells the sixth-year, "He'll understand."

"Will he really?" Clara questions. "I don't know too many men who 'understand' things like this."

"Lucius is very good at trusting me when it comes to serious matters like this."

There's a bit more silence before, reluctantly, Clara agrees. "If you're sure…"

"I am, Clara," Narcissa replies with a finality. "Now, go up to bed. Everything will be better in the morning."

"Thank you, Narcissa. You're my favorite prefect."

"That's so sweet of you to say."

Severus stays rooted to his spot by the portrait for a few more minutes, listening, waiting, for any sign that the teenagers are still in the common room and not up the stairs on their way into their dorms. Finally, he shuffles into the dim light of the common room. Severus then goes stalk-still at the sight of Narcissa facing him, arms crossed.

"How much did you hear?" she asks.

Warily, Severus replies, "Enough."

Expression one of displeasure, she says, "I've told you before to be back in time for curfew."

Severus feels more like a little boy than he has in a great long while as he digs his toe into the grooves between the stones of the floor. "I know."

She sighs. "Five points from Slytherin for being out after curfew, Severus Snape."

He looks up. "I won't say anything to anyone," he tells her.

Narcissa's eyes soften a little around the edges. "Thank you." Uncrossing her arms then, she gestures for him to go ahead of her. "Now, off to bed."

Severus gives her a side-eye as he scurries past and up the stairs. Hurrying through his nightly routines, he tumbles into bed not ten minutes later. His mind is reeling from the things he just heard. It had always been rumored the reason Professor Higgs lost his job and was never invited back to teach in another position was because he had inappropriate relationships with a few of his students, but Severus never once thought any of his interactions had been less than consensual.

Professor Higgs was a young, rather dashing looking fellow (according to the Slytherin third-year girls) and for him to be _forcing_ himself on girls… Well, Severus is rather glad Narcissa has a handle on things. Slipping into slumber, he wonders, had things happened this way the first time too? Is this one of those things that had gone on and he was just never aware? Or… Or has something he and Lily did in the name of a better future blossomed and caused Narcissa to want to help her fellow student?

No matter which, he's proud. Proud that his house looks out for its own – just as he always knew it was supposed to.

-o-O-o-

Annoyed, Severus shoves Sage away from his face. "No," he says for what has to be the fiftieth time. "I'm not going home for holidays to spend Christmas with your mother."

"She's _insisting_ , Severus," the boy presses. Moving back into his original spot just centimeters away from his face, Sage holds up his clasped hands, eyes pleading. "Boyd says he'll let us stay with him in his flat if we humor Mother and spend Christmas with her."

"That's not as enticing an offer as you think it is."

Sage pouts. "I'm not supposed to say this, but Mother has invited your grandfather over for Christmas Eve dinner."

Severus blinks. " _What?_ "

The boy nods. "You really don't want to give him a bad first impression by not showing up, do you?"

"Your mother had no right!" Severus snarls, getting to his feet. He really can't believe this woman. He'd told her he didn't want to meet the man – even if she thought he'd like him. Severus certainly didn't like Demitri Prince. He'd disowned his mother.

Sage hurries to follow Severus out of their dorm. "Mother is very good at sticking her nose where it doesn't belong," he tells Severus. "The best way to handle it is to just go along with it. Someday, we can just leave. Like Boyd."

Turning around, he snaps, "I could leave right now! My mum is has been waiting for the moment I'd run back to her!"

The other boy's eyes go dark. "Please," he whispers. "Please don't."

Severus frowns. "Why in Merlin's name shouldn't I? Being a part of your family has been causing me just as much grief as being a part of mine own has. At least I know what to expect from my mother and father!"

Suddenly, Sage is clinging to him. "Don't leave me all alone with her," he begs. "She'll figure it out then!"

"Figure out what?" Severus demands.

Sage shakes. "Please, Severus," he whispers. "Don't leave me alone."

Severus doesn't quite know what to make of his friend's odd reaction, but it alarms him enough to settle a solid hand on the back of the boy's neck. Squeezing him lightly, Severus promises, "I won't. I won't leave you."

The boy sags. Burying his face in Severus's shoulder, he cries quietly. Severus holds on and fears that something is truly wrong. He wants to take a look inside Sage's head, but the boy won't be meeting his gaze anytime soon. When he does, he's sure whatever it is he doesn't want his mother to know will be buried deep in his mind once more. To try and pry it out will only cause more trauma and the last thing he wants to do is break his friend's trust in him by browbeating the truth out Sage by using legilimency on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	27. Splitting: VII

Lily's brows are furrowed with concern when he finally informs her of the "secret" part of his holiday plans. "Is this such a good idea?" she asks. "I don't want to even think it, but meeting your grandfather could be dangerous. What if…" her speculation fades away into nothing as she brings her thumb to her mouth. Nervously, Lily gnaws at the white of her nail. Finally, she whispers, "What if he _hurts_ you? He disowned your mother for marrying a Muggle. What might he do to you?"

"I can defend myself," Severus reminds Lily. "I'm very well versed in surviving."

The look she gives him in return is foul. "Uh-huh," she mutters. "Like even the best can't be caught off guard."

He sighs. "Look, if Sage didn't need me, I'd tell Mrs. Montague and my grandfather exactly where they can shove it."

Lily's eyes soften a fraction. "What do you think he's so afraid of his mother finding out?"

"What he said left little for me to speculate over," Severus says, "So, I really don't know." It's the truth. He wonders if it doesn't have something to do with Boyd, or with Sage's father, perhaps something Sage did himself at some point, but the boy gave away so little when having his fit that Severus isn't confident to even really voice any of his ideas.

His friend nods. "Please stay safe," she pleads as they step off the Hogwarts Express. "And keep Sage safe too."

"I will," he promises.

From behind, a voice calls, "Hey, wait up!"

Severus and Lily both look over their shoulders to see Sage with the book he'd left behind in their compartment on the train. Severus feels his lips twitch with amusement as he shares a look with Lily. "See you in two weeks?" he inquires.

Lily grins. "Of course!" she agrees before they split up to meet their respective families.

-o-O-o-

When Severus steps into the kitchen shortly before dinner, Mrs. Montague pauses in ordering around Topper to shoot daggers at him. "Why aren't you wearing the new robes I laid out for you?" she demands.

Getting himself a glass of water, Severus plays up an air of nonchalance. "I didn't like them," he says simply. He hadn't, either. They were too formal, too showy. Severus likes plain things, especially plain black things. He likes being able to fade into the background and be forgotten when it suits him. The robes she gave him, with their silver embroidering and dark green lining were anything but.

"It doesn't matter if you don't like them!" she hisses. "Merlin, boy, Christmas is about dressing in your best!"

He knows he's supposed to be pretending he doesn't know who's coming over in a little less than half an hour, but he's sick of it. "I'm not helping you impress Mr. Prince by dressing in clothes that I don't like."

The woman stills, face blank. "Did Sage tell you he was visiting?"

Severus frowns. "I made him. Getting this dressed up for a dinner at home seemed idiotic, no matter how posh your family is. I asked Sage if there was someone else coming over we were dressing up for and said if he didn't tell me the truth I would set fire to his bed."

Mrs. Montague's eyes fly wide in outrage. "If you weren't Eileen's son I would whip you!" she hisses.

He scoffs. While Severus does believe her, he still doesn't understand what it is about his relation to his mother that makes him impervious to punishment. Severus is morbidly excited for the day it's not enough and she actually does punish him. Or tries to, anyway. Severus isn't just going to take a beating from her like he did from his father.

The two of them are interrupted by the floo flaring to life in the next room. She runs her hands down her robes, smoothing out any errant wrinkles. Mrs. Montague murmurs, "You're grandfather's early."

Severus doesn't say anything as he watches her hurry into the next room. "Uncle Demitri!" Mrs. Montague greets, "how lovely of you to make it."

"How do you do, Vesta? And of course I made it. It would have been terribly rude to turn down an invitation from you. You were Etta's favorite niece."

Reluctantly, Severus approaches the open doorway between the kitchen and the next room. Taking a deep breath, Severus steals himself in preparation for his first glimpse of his grandfather. He peeks into the room and takes in the sight of the old man. His grandfather's tall, sharp around the shoulders, much like his mother, and the same as Severus was when he was grown. Severus twists a finger around a lock of hair. The man is mostly bald and Severus wonders if that's something he will have to worry about if he lives to be as old as his grandfather. Severus rather likes his longer hair.

Mrs. Montague moves aside, allowing Severus to get his first clear look at the man's face. Severus has always known he takes much more after his father and his father's family in his facial structure, but he can't for the life of him pick out a single thing about his grandfather's face that also belongs to him. Even his eyes are different. A pale blue where his own are as black as a new cauldron.

Smiling, Mrs. Montague says to Severus's grandfather, "There's someone I would like you to meet."

"Oh?" the old man replies, eyebrows rising in interest.

That's his cue, Severus thinks. He forces himself to take a step into the room. Meeting the old man's gaze, he says, "Hello."

The man's eyes are mildly confused as he stares down at him. "Hello. Are you a friend of Sage's?"

"A bit more than that, I'd say," Severus replies, a bit more amused than he should be at the question.

Mrs. Montague glares over his grandfather's shoulder at him as the old man presses his lips into a thin line in a way that Severus is all too familiar with. 'Ah, finally some family resemblance,' Severus thinks.

Moving around the man, Mrs. Montague comes to stand beside Severus and rest a hand on his shoulder. "This is Severus," she says. Then after a moment of hesitation, she adds, "Your grandson."

The man rears back. "What?" he gapes.

"Perhaps you remember my mother, Eileen? You disowned her after she married my father, Tobias Snape," Severus bites.

"Severus!" Mrs. Montague hisses, tightening her grip on him.

Annoyed, he wrenches himself out of her hold. "Don't scold me!" he snaps at the woman. Looking between his astounded grandfather and furious cousin, he says, "I'll go tell Sage you've arrived."

Neither attempts to stop him as he leaves the room to find Sage.

-O-

Dinner is far from pleasant. His grandfather spends almost the entire time staring at Severus, only glancing at Sage out of politeness on occasion when Mrs. Montague's nervous chatter dictates the boy tell his Great Uncle Demitri some anecdote about Hogwarts or his hobbies. As for Severus, he refuses to say anything. Even when he's asked questions, even when said questions come from Sage.

He sits poised in his chair, not eating, just glaring at the old man who refuses to flinch, to admit any kind of defeat. Unluckily for the man, Severus is just as stubborn (another commonality between them). He will not be the one to break. Finally, after everyone else has finished their meals and Topper is in the process of clearing away everyone's' plates, his grandfather says, "Aren't you a sullen one?"

Severus's curls his lips into a sneer.

"Uncle Demitri," Mrs. Montague warns in a strained tone. She, who knows Severus, but knows Demitri Prince even better, sees something unpleasant on the horizon.

'Good,' Severus thinks. He wants that. He wants the coming anger, broken things, biting words, and for everything to end in an explosion of _never again_. The best part of it will be that it's all Severus's choice. He will finally be the one who chooses to cut the rope, instead of being the one made to fall.

His grandfather raises a hand, silencing his cousin.

She sighs. "Sage, come with me to the kitchen," she orders. "You can help me with the last preparations for dessert."

Sage glances nervously between Severus and his mother. Still not breaking his gaze, Severus gives a tiny dip of his chin, letting the boy know it's alright. Sage gets up and follows his mother out of the room.

"Your mother was sullen the last time I saw her too," the man says once the Montagues are gone. A shifty looking coming to his eyes, he asks, "Did she talk much about us? Her family?"

Baring his teeth like the werewolf he was once nearly killed by, Severus says, "Her reluctance to spoke volumes."

His grandfather frowns. "You think me a monster, don't you?" he asks in a neutral tone.

Severus laughs. "I know monsters," he says. "You are far from a _good_ man, but you are not a monster."

The man can't hide his surprise at Severus's words. "Your father–"

"–Is not the monster I speak of," he says, effectively drowning out the rest of the man's question with his answer. "I won't lie, he's done a great many monstrous things, but I would still only call him a bad man. A rather mundane kind of bad man at that."

Looking further unsettled by Severus's words, he changes topic when he inquires, "How is your mother?"

"As well as can be expected." Grimly, Severus says, "Which is not very well."

The old man seems to deflate a little in his seat. "How did you end up here? Without your mother?"

"Luck," Severus answers. "Mrs. Montague mentioned your and your wife's name and I recognized them. At that point, she decided I would become her ward and tried to make Mum leave Dad." Severus finally looks away. It hurts, even now, to know she'd rather stand by his father than to have him in her life. "But Mum wouldn't."

The old man sighs tiredly. "At least one of you is away from that bloody Muggle."

Severus shoots up from his chair. "Him being a Muggle is not what makes him awful!" he yells. "It is what he's done to Mum, to me, that makes him a dreadful person! I know for a _fact_ wizards to the same exact thing to their wives and children!"

His grandfather scowls. "You should know better than to raise your voice at your elders."

He scoffs. "Don't flatter yourself. You're not the first old man I've shouted at."

"I don't know what Vesta was thinking taking you in."

It surprises him, but he knows exactly why she took Severus in. Why she's letting him behave like an arse when she would beat her own sons if they were half as surly. "She thought she was doing right by her family, making up for a mistake she made years ago when she didn't fight for my mum."

Severus feels very guilty all of a sudden. Mrs. Montague may be annoying and pushy, but she has only wanted what is best for Severus from the moment she knew he was her cousin's son.

The old man's face sours. "I am leaving. Tell Vesta I feel a bit ill." His mouth curls unpleasantly. "I don't think the ham is agreeing with me."

He keeps his expression blank and says nothing as the man leaves him.

A few moments later, as the sound of the Floo coming to life filters into the room, Mrs. Montague rushes in. "Oh no! Where has Uncle Demitri gone to?"

Not bothering to hide how miserable he feels – only if because he's caused _her_ misery, Severus whispers, "I'm sorry."

Mrs. Montague's brows pull together in befuddlement. "Whatever for?"

"I behaved poorly. He had enough of it and left. I've ruined your Christmas," he explains, feeling a little incredulous as he does so. After all, isn't it obvious?

She sighs lightly and comes to his side. "Now, hush pet," she chides. "I knew exactly what I would be getting myself into when I brought you into my home. Why in Merlin's name would you thank me for taking you away from your mother?" Her face gentles around the edges. "I'm sure you felt and feel you are responsible for her in somehow, don't you?"

Severus finds himself nodding, because, yes, he is responsible for his mother. He knows her future. He knows if he just thinks about it harder he can figure out a way to rescue her from his father. He just needs to do it and stop worry about other, less pressing things.

"Let me tell you something, Severus, you aren't responsible for her."

He goes taut at her words, retort ready on his tongue.

Mrs. Montague silences him with a finger to his lips, however. Eyes steady and determined, she says, "She chose her bed. I won't say she deserves it, and I have been visiting her, trying to make her get out of it, but she refuses. For now, the best I – we – can do is make sure she knows we are here whenever she decides to leave it."

Severus isn't happy, but he sees the sense in her words and settles in his chair once again, waiting for her to finish her little speech.

"I did tell your grandfather while you were retrieving Sage you would continue to be difficult. All you know of him, of me, is that we let your mother down. If he can't hack a thirteen-year-old boy's rather deserved anger, then he really shouldn't be here."

He still feels at fault. "I should have been more polite."

"Yes, you should have," Mrs. Montague agrees. "Even if you dislike someone, you should behave with decorum." She cups his face in her hands. "But that is a difficult thing to do, especially so for one so young. You are terribly mature in so many ways, Severus, but you are still a boy."

If only she knew. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he changes the subject by asking, "You visit Mum?"

"Quite often, actually," she admits.

Severus takes a deep breath. "If – If I write her a letter, will you give it to her?"

"Yes, of course."

In a rare show of affection for someone he's previously felt little more than disdain for than anything else, he hugs her. When she wraps her arms around him and returns the embrace, he sags with relief. Here he'd been looking forward to finally being the one to burn bridges, but in the process almost burnt one he didn't realize the worth of. Thank Merlin Aunt Vesta is more forgiving than himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	28. Splitting: VIII

Severus sets his things down in the guest room he and Sage are to share while they are at Boyd's. Looking around the room, he notes the drapes and duvet match color-wise and the expertly angled ceramic golden snidget sitting on a table in front of the room's decorative mirror. He finds himself impressed by how put together the room is. It's not unusual for a wizard of Boyd's background to have taste and a knack for design, but… Boyd does not seem the type. He asks Sage about the room.

"It was probably Violet Parkinson who helped him with the flat. They're quite good friends," he says. Then, a tad mischievous, he adds, "Though, they might be a bit more than mates these days. I wouldn't be surprised if we have to go to a wedding for them before we finish Hogwarts."

He nods. Sage doesn't know it, but he's quite right. They will be going to a wedding for Violet and Boyd sometime in the next couple of years. He knows for a fact Graham's mother had been named Violet. Briefly, his thoughts go to Clara Parkinson. He wonders if she told her sister at the very least about what happened to her. He doubts it. She had seemed quite determined that no one should ever know – lest it reaches her father.

Wearily, he asks, "She's not going to show up while we're staying with your brother, is she?"

Sage shrugs. "Probably not. From what I've heard, her father's a bit overprotective. I think Boyd said once she's not even allowed to have a job because her father's worried she'll fall in love with a coworker who's a Muggleborn or Half-blood and ruin the family name."

Severus's eyebrows come together to form a canyon. "How little does he think of his daughter?"

"Um," the boy mumbles, looking a little uncomfortable at Severus's question. "I know I've made him sound pretty awful, but he's probably not that bad? His children are quite normal by all accounts, anyway. I've met Violet a few times. She's really witty. No one else can make Boyd laugh half as much as she does. I'm sure you've met her little sister, Clara? She's a sixth year. She's a bit on the shy side, but very clever. She's one of the top students in her year. In fact, if you were to talk to her, I'm sure you'd find you have something in common! I hear she likes creating spells. Then there's their older brother…" Sage trails off, obviously struggling to recall some positive trait of his. Severus, however, does not need Sage to describe the man to him.

He remembers Adam Parkinson very well. He worked alongside the man a number of times during the first war. Adam had been a taciturn fellow who always cursed to kill in battles. He did not have much, if any, mercy, for those on the "wrong" side of the war. He raised an equally vicious daughter too. Pansy gave Severus more problems than any of the other girls in her year combined. Even Millicent Bulstrode's penchant for physical violence had been manageable compared to Pansy and the petty feuds she started between girls all in the name of "a bit of fun".

Severus tuned back in just as he heard Sage say, "–There has to be something good about him. He just got married this last spring to a Farley. The Farleys are not all that well regarded in public opinion these days, you know? One of them left his wife a few years back to go live with his Muggle lover on the continent. If you're not disgusted with him for the Muggle-lover part, you definitely are with him for leaving his wife and family. "

"Hmm…" is all Severus can make himself say.

Sage sighs. "So, should we see what Boyd has planned for lunch?"

-o-O-o-

It's very late at night and the time is probably closer to three in the morning than midnight. Sage is passed out with his face smashed into Severus's shoulder on the sofa. As for Boyd, he's staring broodingly into the dying fire in an armchair not even a meter away. The three of them had been up, just talking about this and that. Shortly before Sage nodded off, the Montague brothers had been reminiscing about a trip to Italy they took with their parents shortly before their father died.

With tears glossing his eyes, Sage had asked, "Why'd he do it, Boyd?"

Boyd, expression stricken, could only shake his head at his little brother. "I wish I knew, Sage."

Severus feels sleep weighing down his own eyelids, but he knows he can't just yet. He has to ask. "How exactly did your father die?" he questions Boyd.

The young man looks at Severus, eyes hateful. "Like you haven't figured it out."

He frowns. "I haven't, actually," he replies. "I have a feeling, but–"

Harshly, Boyd hisses, "Then let me spell it out for you! Our father killed himself!"

Undeterred, Severus murmurs, "Was Sage involved somehow? When I initially refused to come home with him over holidays, he became quite upset and insisted your mother would 'figure it out'." He eyes the man, who looks ghostly white in the dim light of the room. "What exactly is this 'it' he was talking about?"

Fiercely, Boyd warns, "Don't you dare speak a word of this ever again." He takes a deep breath. Then, Boyd says, "Sage… Sage found Father as he was dying. He took a potion, you see. At the time, Sage didn't know that. Father looked off and Sage _was_ going to get Mother or Topper, but Father insisted it was nothing and had Sage sit with him." Face dark and loathing he finishes, "Father made Sage watch him take his last breath. Now, Sage blames himself. He thinks it's his fault our father died."

Severus turns his gaze to the boy slumbering on his shoulder. He's gotten gangly this past year, and his face has thinned some too, making it easier to see just how alike he and his older brother are going to look once he's fully grown. Even so, Severus can still remember exactly how he looked during their first year together. Sage had only been a bit younger than that when his father died. The Montagues' father was a selfish man to have insisted his young son stay by his side as he died. Sage had been too young for that. Was still too young even now. Perhaps would always be too young. No son should be forced to sit by a parent's side uselessly and watch them die.

"Your mother doesn't know this," Severus states.

Boyd shook his head, something a bit like regret flashing in his eyes. "I… I told him not to tell her. Mother didn't need to know Father managed to scar Sage for life in his last moments on this plane. It would have just made everything even worse. Somehow, Sage took that to mean Mother would blame him just like he blames himself if she knew. I've tried to explain to him that's not why he shouldn't tell her, but…" he looks helplessly at Severus as he trails off.

Severus does understand. Aunt Vesta would have a conniption if she knew what her husband did to their youngest son. But there would be nothing she could do to fix it and would probably be left feeling just as at fault for how things went as Sage does now. Of course, that guilt would be unfounded. Both of their guilty consciences would be unfounded. It's bad enough that Sage has to carry this weight and possibly always will, they don't need Aunt Vesta carrying it too. It would do no one any good.

"I won't tell Sage I know," Severus says slowly, "but I will make sure to watch out for him and if it comes up, to reassure him that he is not at fault for your father's death."

The young man's Adam's apple bobs in the dim light. "Thank you," he finally croaks. "You're… You're a good lad. I'm glad Sage has you."

Severus smiles thinly. It's far too early to know if his friendship with Sage will stop him from committing suicide in the future. He hopes what's happened so far will be enough, but… Well, Severus is used to his all not being enough. Especially when it comes to saving others. "Don't thank me yet," he says.

-o-O-o-

"Why look who it is! Boyd Montague!" a young woman's voice exclaims from behind. The Montagues and Severus stop trying to battle the platform's crowds to turn around and see who called out to Boyd.

When they do, Severus really can't say he's surprised to see Clara, Adam, and who he assumes to be, Violet Parkinson staring at them. Smiling, Boyd says, "What a surprise. Hello, Violet." He dips his head in the directions of the remaining Parkinsons. "Adam, Clara."

Stepping forward, Violet asks, "What are you doing here, Boyd?"

Severus nearly rolls his eyes. Her question sounds so fake he's surprised her brother and sister don't call Violet out on it. He feels, more than sees, the older of the Montague brothers gesture at him and Sage. "Seeing the lads off."

Adam glances down at them and then at Boyd. "I thought you only had one brother?"

"Yes, that's right." Boyd puts a hand on Sage's shoulder first. "This one's my brother," he says, "his name is Sage."

Without any other prompting, Sage dips his head in acknowledgment of the introduction and murmurs, "How do you do?"

Offering a hand for Sage to shake, Adam replies, "Well, thank you."

"This is Severus, my cousin," Boyd continues, laying a hand on Severus's shoulder as he does so. He squeezes it as he does so, though, Severus can't say if it's to comfort him or to warn him against being rude.

Since the last thing he wants to do is start discord between him and Boyd just as they're finally starting to see eye to eye, Severus ignores it. He puts out his hand for Adam to shake. "It's nice to meet you."

The Parkinson man ignores it in favor of turning a critical eye on Boyd. "Your cousin?" he repeats.

In response, Sage's brother tenses. "Yes," he answers. "On my mother's side. He's recently become a ward of the family."

Adam's lips turn sharply downward at the corners. "I see."

Violet, who's been gazing at Boyd like a besotted puppy, abruptly stops when she hears the tone of her brother's voice. She turns a pleading look on her little sister. Clara, for her part, sighs in quiet resignation before saying, "Adam, did you know Severus has quite the reputation at Hogwarts? He's not only the top student in his year, but had a hand in helping to end the disappearances of familiars at Hogwarts last year."

The disapproval on the Parkinson man's face lessens ever so slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yes, it is," Sage pipes up. Severus looks his cousin's way. It seems Sage has caught on to the fact this "chance encounter" is, in fact, not a chance encounter. Boyd and Violet have planned this meeting today. For what reason, Severus can't be entirely certain. They may have just wanted to see each other, but they may have also wanted for Adam and Boyd to pleasantly reacquaint themselves as adults so when he proposed to Violet he would be supportive of their union. Smiling at the man, Sage says, "Severus's also good at creating spells. He has this one that lifts someone up into the air and flips them upside down. It's quite clever, really."

The look Adam gives Sage is indulgent. "I'm sure it is." He looks at Severus. "It's good to see your background has not impacted your abilities."

Severus holds back the urge to snarl. He hates Adam. If Boyd and Violet weren't giving each other lovesick eyes, he would tell the man exactly what he thinks of him and his backhanded compliments.

"Thank you," he grinds out.

Adam nods before turning his eyes onto the Express not far off in the distance. "Clara, lads, I'd say you best be off. The Express should be leaving soon."

Severus is more than happy to regrip the handle of his school trunk. "Yes, you're right," Severus agrees. "Come, Sage," he looks to the youngest Parkinson, "Clara, let's go."

The three of them head off. A few minutes later, after they're on the Express, and just as they are about to split up on the train to find their own compartments, Clara puts a hand on Severus's arm.

He looks at her.

Expression apologetic, she says, "I'm sorry if anything my brother said upset you. It's not a very good excuse, but Adam… He spends a lot of time in the company of our father and his friends. Not everything they have to say about others is very kind."

Severus nods. He appreciates Clara's sensitivity. He tries to remember, but he can't say he recalls exactly what happens to her in the future. He doesn't think she has much, if any role, in either war. He's quite sure she married someone outside of Slytherin, perhaps even outside of Hogwarts. It likely gave her the option to remain fairly neutral in the wars. He's glad for that. Prays she can have such a role again. "Thank you," he says.

She smiles before disappearing into a compartment. Sage looks at him. "I wouldn't mind her for a sister-in-law," he comments, conspiratorially.

He smirks back at his cousin. "Nor would I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	29. Splitting: IX

Heading towards the Great Hall for breakfast the morning after the holiday's end, he looks up from a book he's reading at an excited whoop.

"Severus!" Sirius greets with a broad grin.

He can't help but smile back. Closing his book with a satisfying thump, he hurries over to Sirius. "How was hols here at Hogwarts?"

Sirius's grin takes on a devilish quality. "I snuck Narcissa and Regulus out after dinner on Christmas Eve to walk around Hogsmeade. It's always so pretty at Christmastime." His smile falters ever so slightly. "It's what we used to do around Christmas time, us and our parents, before I got sorted into Gryffindor."

Severus holds back a wince and claps a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Good for you, reclaiming the tradition."

Something a little hesitant, but hopeful ghosts across the boy's eyes. "Yeah? You think so?"

"Know so, Sirius."

All uncertainty extinguished, Sirius squared his shoulders and took on the bearing of a king. "Yeah, of course!"

Rolling his eyes, Severus begins to walk in the direction of the hall once more, Sirius in step beside him. "Did you finish your Charms paper?" Severus questions. "I know you wrote a few days ago you were having trouble with it…"

-O-

Over the course of breakfast, Severus takes note of his housemates, who looks happy, upset, and unchanged. Many of the younger students wear expressions of pleasure or nothing at all. A few older students (in particular, fifth and seventh years) look harried, while a number more appear to be smug about something. He's not quite sure what they could be so happy about and as time goes on and breakfast comes to its end, he never spies Scabior. Severus begins to fear that perhaps his absence is the reason the upper years look so pleased. It wouldn't be too out of character for them to gang on someone they feel is a "nuisance". Especially if Scabior has done something they don't like to someone's little brother or sister.

When he sees Narcissa get up from the tables, he follows after her. Catching her as she's just about to leave the Great Hall, he asks, "Have you seen Scabior?"

The seventh year shakes her head. "I think I caught sight of the lad coming into the castle yesterday, but…" she puts a hand on her cheek and looks away. "I can't be too sure. He, or whoever it may have been, was keeping his head down."

Severus ignores the way his stomach lurches and sighs loudly instead. "Sounds like he's sulking about something. I suppose I'll check his dorm before I head off to class."

Amusement pulls at the corners of Narcissa's lips. "Will you now? Wouldn't you say that's a prefect's job?"

He eyes the young woman. While he knows she's mostly joking, he does think he hears a bit of an edge to her voice. She doesn't like the idea he could be usurping her position from her. Narcissa enjoys having the affections of younger years. For him to steal them – even if it's just one (one that no even really _likes_ ) will undoubtedly drive a wedge between them. "Well, then, how do you feel about me accompanying _you_ to check his dorm?"

"I suppose I can't stop you, can I?" she teases, voice light and pleased.

Any offense he may have caused now smoothed over, he flashes a return smile out of relief.

-O-

"Edmund? Edmund, sweetie, are you feeling alright?" Narcissa questions. Her hands hover just above the lump that has to be Scabior beneath the sheets of his bed.

"Go 'way," he grumbles.

Narcissa shares a look with Severus. It's partly worried, partly annoyed. Scabior is not one to hide. In fact, he's more brazen than some Gryffindors. "If you're ill, I need to escort you to the infirmary to see Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm fine!" he snaps, continuing to stay hidden beneath the sheets of his bed.

Severus decides it's time he takes a stab. "If that's true, why are you hiding in your dorm instead of getting ready for class?"

The boy groans. "Why are you _always_ around?"

"Excuse me?"

The sheets shift, but Scabior does not come out. "You always show up when the _last_ thing I want is your – or anyone else's – help!"

Alarm causes Narcissa to go rigid. Expressing her feelings with a glance in his direction, the young woman places a hand on the lump which they know to be Scabior. "What do you need help with?" she asks.

"Nothing!"

Patience gone, Severus grabs the edge of Scabior's sheets and pulls. A moment later, the disheveled boy is revealed. He gapes at the two of them, shocked that they actually took his sheets from him. In his moment of surprise, he forgets what he's been trying to hide and Severus and Narcissa can see the ugly bruise that has nearly swollen Scabior's eye shut clearly.

Hands going to her mouth, Narcissa whispers, "Oh my…"

Climbing onto the bed, Severus grabs Scabior's face and begins to investigate the injury. He's sure it came from someone bigger than Scabior and he's just furious enough to want to duplicate the injury on the one who inflicted it on Scabior. As he is now, fourteen and still a bit on the small side, he likely wouldn't be able to, but he could surely do _worse_ with the right hex.

"Who did this to you?" he demands. "I'll get them back for it."

Yanking himself out of Severus's hold, Scabior says, "I'd like to see you try an' take my Da on. 'E'd wipe the floor with your skinny arse!"

Severus blinks. That's not unexpected news per say, but he'd felt so sure it had been another student who'd done it…

"Why would he hit you? In the _face_?" Narcissa asks, pale and scared.

Scabior looks away. "'E was pissed and not thinkin' straight. I 'ad to take the punch. My wee sister isn't even five."

Narcissa titters something disparaging about Scabior's father before wrapping an arm around the boy and bringing him against her side. "Well, you can forget that now. You're safe back at Hogwarts."

The boy's eyes darken. "Polly an' the rest of my sisters an' brother aren't."

The seventh year bites her lip and looks to Severus. What she expects him to say, he doesn't know. There's nothing that can ever truly comfort one who knows he's going to have to return to the nundu's den eventually. Or to one who knows he's left behind weaker prey to a capricious monster's mercy. Instead, Severus grabs the boy by the arm and says gruffly, "Come with me. I got some salves that'll clear it up in no time."

"How fast are we talkin'?" Scabior asks, following Severus easily at the promise of something to clear up his eye.

He grins wickedly in response. "Once you put some on, it'll be all but gone by the time you get to class."

Narcissa makes a noise from behind them. He chances a glance back, an expression of awe is on her face. He wonders what it's for. Is it for how easily Scabior follows him? Or is it because he promises a salve that works faster than anything on the market? He doesn't think he cares either way.

All that he does care about is that Scabior goes to class and he makes it to his own on time.

-O-

Slipping into his spot beside Lily in potions, Severus relaxes when he sees Horace has yet to even put the day's plan on the board. He's more than made it on time, he's arrived _early._

"Where were you?" Lily asks as she sets up her cauldron. "I thought you wanted to meet up outside the Great Hall to walk to class together."

Severus nods. "Something came up."

"With Narcissa? The two of you passed me right by."

He says, "Yes, Scabior wasn't at breakfast and we went to check on him to make sure he was alright."

Lily uncorks her bottle of ink and sets it down between their desks. They no longer have to share ink, as Aunt Vesta sends him packages of school materials on a next to monthly basis these days, but it's a habit neither feels bothered to really break. "Is he alright?"

"Yes. We fixed him up and he went to class."

She smiles at him, a knowingness in her eyes. "I'm glad you could help him out."

"It was nothing," Severus replies. He means it too. Fixing a black eye did nothing to solve the true issue at hand. Scabior's father was a violent drunk and as long as the boy is here at Hogwarts, his little sisters and brother will have no one to protect them from the man's rages. Even worse, Severus doesn't have the first clue how he's going to save Scabior and his siblings from this.

He's just one man and there are so many other things (and people) that need saving too for the better future they were sent back to create to come to fruition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	30. Splitting: X

One afternoon a month after Christmas holiday's end while he and Lily are looking over Sirius and Sage's essays for Transfiguration in the library Clara Parkinson approaches them. Despite being older, of higher standing in both Hogwarts and outside of it, she fiddles with her wand nervously. He glances at Lily for a moment, letting her know with his expression alone that he will handle this.

She goes back to the papers.

"Hello," he says.

The Parkinson girl's cheeks rosy. "Hiya," she mumbles back.

Silence follows.

Severus finds himself both amused and irritated. It's strange that a girl like Clara is so hesitant to speak to him (she's an upper year, a  _Parkinson_ , for Merlin's sake!), but also annoying when he and Lily have better things to do. Once they finish with the papers they have plans to go to their classroom and continue their discussion (argument) on how best to handle Scabior's delicate situation. Lily insists with a stubborn tenacity they ought to tell Albus, or perhaps Poppy. She believes wholeheartedly they will be able to assist Scabior and his siblings somehow.

As for Severus, he doesn't think to tell either will amount to much of anything. Scabior will say there's nothing wrong until he's blue in the face. If he refuses to say his father has hurt him, Poppy or Albus won't be able to do much of anything. He's grown up with boys like Scabior, taught some too. They often fear the unknown more than they fear their own families.

And even if they manage to convince Scabior the new life he'll lead will be less fraught with danger and fear than the one he knows, there's still no guarantee the separation of Scabior and his siblings from his parents will be permanent. The Scabior family may not have much in the way of wealth, but they're an old family. Not as old as the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but close enough. People will bulk on their behalf once it gets out their children were removed from them. So few wizards and witches at this point in time believe it's wrong to strike their children.

Even when he died some twenty years in the future more people than not thought a good smack or light stinging hex was more than alright when a child misbehaved.

Lily breaks his musings with a quiet clearing of his throat.

Severus sighs. It seems he will have to be the one to start this conversation with Clara. "Is there something we can do for you?" he asks.

Clara looks down, then back at him. "I was wondering…" she trails off and looks away once more. "Your cousin, Sage, thought it would be better if I invited you to Slughorn's upcoming Slug Club party. He says you're more the type Professor Slughorn wants in his club than him."

He shifts uneasily. "I'm not much of a party person," he says.

"Neither am I," replies the teenager. "But it's… pleasant. You get to know a number of people you wouldn't otherwise talk to in classes or the corridors." She glances at Lily. Severus nearly smirks. He can bet Clara is realizing just now that him forging friendships with those outside his house is not something he needs help with. "The food is quite good as well," she adds, only to wince as soon as she finishes.

Severus almost chuckles, going to a party for the food is more than a bit silly. The Parkinson girl is trying very hard to entice him, but he's not interested in connections (he's doing quite fine on that front on his own) or in food. He almost wants to ask why she's inviting him, but it's more than obvious to him it's because she's trying to get close to the Montague family. Boyd and Violet must be preparing to announce their engagement. He suspects Violet wrote her sister, asking her to form some type of friendly relationships with Sage (and perhaps him too).

"He'll go with you," Lily says suddenly.

He nearly gapes at her. Who does Lily think she is? She can't make these kinds of decisions on his behalf!

The red-haired girl gazes steadily back at him. "It'd do you good to be on the good side of at least one professor."

Severus scowls, though, he does have to reluctantly concede to the fact Lily has a point. He's really not favored by any of Hogwart's professor. In fact, a number are suspicious of him. He knows they heard about his blowing up at Horace last year about Sage's owl. Even before that, many seemed a bit bewildered by just how easily he mastered their lessons and a couple undoubtedly began to dislike him once he began to subtly correct them during lectures.

No one likes a know-it-all.

"What better professor than the head of my house?" says Severus after a moment.

Lily smiles. "That is a plus." Cheekily, she adds, "Maybe he'll make you a prefect in a few years if you humor him a little too."

He rolls his eyes. "And give up my evenings to prefect meetings and patrols? No thank you." He almost grins as he says, " _Studying_ takes priority."

Clara, who's been watching quietly as they talk to one another, breaks in, "It's this coming Friday at eight in the evening. Shall we meet each other in the common rooms a quarter before eight so you may accompany me?"

Severus nods. "Yes, that will work." He holds out a hand for her. "Thank you for inviting me."

She takes it and gives it a brief shake. "You're welcome," she replies. Then, a little awkwardly, she steps away and mumbles, "Bye." Before she walks away and rounds a bookcase of Muggle Studies texts and disappears completely.

Head in her hands, Lily looks at him and remarks, "You'll have to tell me how it goes. It might prove to be quite interesting if you're accompanying her."

"Perhaps while I'm at the party I'll meet the man she marries," Severus says. "I can't be certain, but I'm quite sure she married someone outside of Slytherin. I know it's unlikely to matter, but it bothers me that I can't think of his name. Chances are quite high her marriage and husband were talked about in length at some point in our first lifetime to me too. Her brother and I went on a number of missions together during the first war."

Some of the levity in his friend's eyes fades. "Oh?"

He holds back the urge to hunch in on himself. Lily doesn't like to hear about his time as a true Death Eater and he  _knows_ that, yet he couldn't always stop himself from mentioning it. After all of this time, one would think he'd be better about not speaking about his time as a Death Eater to her, but he's not. Sometimes, it just slips out. It wracks him with guilt each time. It was his cause,  _him_ , who got her killed in their first lifetime and the less it's mentioned the better off Lily is. The better off their friendship is.

If he's honest, Severus fears for the day Lily actually wants to talk about his time as a true Death Eater. Fears that when he tells her every brutal detail she'll decide he's too much of a monster for her to bear to be around any longer.

"Yes," he concludes finally. "But let's not talk about that. How much more revising does Sirius's paper need? Has he managed to remember the difference between there, they're, and their since we las explained it to him?"

Lily blinked. Then her eyes went to the parchment laid out in front of her. Her shoulders slump a little. "No, I don't think so. I've picked out at least three wrong uses." She sighs exaggeratedly. "I guess this time we'll have to use a bludger on him to make it stick."

Severus cracks a grin. "Or maybe a hippogriff."

His friend laughs delightedly and picks up her quill once more. "I just have a couple more paragraphs. Let me read them quickly and we can leave."

He nods and settles back into his chair to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	31. Splitting: XI

"Has Sage looked a little down to you lately?" Lily asks him the afternoon before he's to attend the Slug Club party with Clara.

Severus considers the question. Sage has been quieter lately. Not as quick to smile, either (not that he ever was, but he did usually grin or smirk at least once or twice a day). "He's seemed more… contained, yes," Severus replies.

Lily doesn't look happy with his answer. "Do you think something's wrong? He's not having problems with his brother or mother, is he? I know it can't be anything class related, we help him with his essays and studying all of the time! He's doing alright, if not well, in all of his subjects. And surely you'd notice if there was something going on between him and any of your housemates…"

This is not an issue Severus wants to deal with. As the week has drawn on, he's begun to dread the Slug Club party more and more. He's almost anxious enough to fake ill to get out of it (he'd probably already have if he didn't have to fear Lily calling him out on it). But as Severus knows far too well by now, you can't always get what you want. Sage matters now. He's not just a housemate, but family. Aunt Vesta and Boyd will never forgive him if anything happens to the boy while they are at Hogwarts together.

"I honestly don't know," he answers.

Lily begins to drum her fingers along her sternum. "Maybe you should ask him."

For a moment, Severus considers it. "No," he says, "that won't work. He'll insist everything is alright. All you can do is stay by his side and let him bring up what's bothering him on his own." Bleakly, Severus mutters, "Sometimes, even that won't work. He's good at burying things until they can't be anymore."

His friend's face pinches with even deeper concern. "Tonight's the Slug Club party."

"Yes, it is."

Lily pauses tapping her fingers and gives Severus a critical look. "Do you think Sage would let me keep him company tonight while you're at the party?"

Severus blinks. While Lily has been excellent in supporting his friendships with fellow Slytherins (unlike in their first lifetime), she's shown little interest in being more than a mate of a mate to them. Doubtfully, Severus warns, "He might want to hide in our dorms. Upper years would murder you if you tried to sneak in to be with him."

The girl frowns. "What if I said I wanted his help with something? Do you think he'd spend the evening with me then?"

"Perhaps," reluctantly agrees Severus.

She sighs. "At least I can try?"

That, he's more than happy to nod to. "Yes, that you can do."

-O-

While kneeling over his trunk and grimacing at his options for robes for tonight's function, Severus hears the scuff of feet from behind. Dropping the navy blue robe he's been considering for the past five minutes, Severus turns around to see a slightly dazed Sage standing a little less than a meter away from him. With forced patience, Severus asks, "Yes? What is it?"

"Lily asked me for help with practicing a spell tonight."

Severus returns his attention to his robes. "Hmm…" he says.

"You're okay with this?" the boy questions.

Deciding finally on a lighter gray robe to wear, Severus stands up and closes the lid to his trunk. "Yes," he answers. "It's no wonder she did. I'll be stuck at the Slug Club party all night."

Sage's expression is one of utter confusion. "But you two–"

"–Are friends," Severus cuts in. He then switches out of his school robes into the slightly nicer ones for the party. He gives Sage a pat on the arm as he passes him by on his way out of their dorm. "Have a nice time, Sage."

-o-O-o-

Just as he remembers from his first lifetime, Horace's little parties are a complete bore. He stands by the punch bowl, glass of it in hand, but not drinking any. Clara is beside him, awkwardly conversing with Hufflepuff Clarence Bones, brother to Edgar and Amelia Bones, father to Susan Bones. She's smiling a lot at the redhead, but her eyes keep wandering off to a group across the room.

Severus is mildly amused, but mostly pitying toward Clarence. It's quite obvious the Bones boy is much more interested in Clara than she is in him. It's no matter, he'll get over the fact Clara does not fancy him eventually meet and marry his daughter's mother at some point in the coming six years. While the two are busy talking about defense spells, Severs tries to guess which of the young men on the other side of the room has caught Clara's eye.

There's Clarence's brother, Edgar, the Prewett twins, Fabian and Gideon, all of whom are seventh years, and a younger boy, a fifth year, by the name of Crispin Smith. From the way the twins frequently roll their eyes when Smith speaks, Severus is quite sure they're only suffering his company to be polite – probably because Edgar asked them to. He keeps glancing at the pair with a look of warning in his stare, anyway.

It's a vague recollection at best, but he's quite sure Edgar marries a Smith, or someone closely related to them, anyhow.

Severus looks once more to Clara. He can't imagine it's Smith that's got her eye and she's glancing too low for it to be the older Bones boy. Her eyes are on one of the stocky Prewett lads, though, he's having trouble discerning which one. Just as Severus thinks he's going to figure out which one, a loud voice exclaims, "Ah, Mr. Snape! What a surprise to see you here!"

Annoyed, Severus can't help but scowl at Horace as he stops beside him to take stock of the appetizers on the table behind him.

"I was invited by a housemate," he answers simply.

The man looks up, a small plate of food already put together and in his hand. "Oh?"

Severus almost jumps when he feels the weight of Clara's hand settle on his shoulder. "Yes, that's right." Softly, she asks, "I hope that's alright, sir. Severus is really quite a clever boy. I thought he could benefit from meeting a few others who are just as inventive as he is." She glances down at him, a furrow between her brows. "I haven't made many introductions yet, however."

"It's fine," Severus tells her.

She frowns, doubtful.

"Really," he assures.

Horace holds a half-eaten prawn between his fingers, gaze darting between the two of them, as if he can't quite believe what he's seeing. Perhaps he can't. Why should a girl like Clara Parkinson want to help a nobody like Severus? It's not as if it's widely known just who all he's related to, nor is it that the Montagues took him in. Aunt Vesta hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of her making him her ward lest it draws negative attention to the family.

"…Inventive, you say?" the professor finally says.

"Yes," Clara replies, "for example, Severus has this one spell that levitates a wizard into the air and turns them upside down."

The portly man's eyes drift to Severus, who stares steadily back. He takes too much pride in his creations to lie and say they are the product of someone else's mind, even if it makes him seem like a genius he is not.

"That sounds very interesting, a demonstration might be in order later."

Severus pulls out his wand. "It works on more than people," he says. He points his wand at a cup of punch. " _Levicorpus._ " The cup lifts in the air, flips upside down, spilling its contents on the table.

"Fascinating," the man murmurs.

He snorts. "It's quite useless most of the time."

"Don't _say_ that!" Clara admonishes as Horaces goes a bit rigid in surprise.

Their reactions make him feel a little embarrassed. He hadn't meant to come off as self-deprecating, but as humble. Levicorpus, while one of the ones he's most proud of, is nothing compared to some of the other spells he's come up with over the years.

Nodding his head, Horace says, "She's quite right. It's quite the feat to create a spell in itself at your age, but one complex enough to do two things at once? Just brilliant." He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a little card. It's one Severus recalls receiving during his first lifetime. He hands it to Severus and tells him, "I'm officially inviting you to be a part of my club. We meet twice a month and hold a party like this one every other. Feel free to bring any friends of yours who may have something to offer."

Numbly pocketing the card, he mumbles, "Thank you, sir."

The portly man nods. "Have a good evening you two, I really must go congratulate to Smith over there. I hear his father just received a promotion at the Ministry…"

Clara and Severus watch him go. Once he's gone, the Parkinson girl spins Severus around and smiles. "Aren't you lucky!" she exclaims. "He hardly every invites students under fifteen to join his club!"

Severus really doesn't feel lucky, though, he's glad to have accomplished his goal. He has Horace's attention. With time and the right words, he'll have the man giving him things and helping him in ways that Severus previously never could have expected from him. A better future is a little closer to his grasp. A small feeling of pride blossoming in his chest, he smiles at Clara.

"It wasn't luck, but you. If you hadn't invited me to the party Horace would have never invited me."

The teenager goes bright pink at his declaration. Eyes bright and joyous, she giggles. Taking his hand, she says, "Since you're officially a member, why don't I introduce you to some of our more prominent members?"

Severus follow easily. As disinterested as he is in the other students here at the party, he knows he has to keep up appearances and act grateful and excited. It will keep him in Clara's good graces and earn him the favor of those he's to "meet" tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	32. Splitting: XII

Finished with his breakfast, Severus does a quick scan of the morning's spread and grabs an apple. He pockets it for later. It will make for a good snack when he and Sage are working on their Transfiguration essays later. At the thought of his cousin, Severus scans the Slytherin tables for the boy's familiar dark head. He doesn't see him. Severus shrugs his shoulders and grabs another apple. Sage often picks sleep over breakfast and everyone will be better off if the boy has an apple to eat alongside Severus.

Just as he finishes weighing his pocket down, some Slytherins begin to whisper. He looks up, wondering what it could be that's gotten their attention when he sees Lily making her way toward him. Getting to his feet, Severus hurries to meet her. They had both agreed in the past to not go to one another when they were at their tables in the Great Hall. It was just another way of asking to be jinxed by one another's houses.

Meeting her quickly, he shoots several troublemaker housemates (Scabior included) glares before he growls "Lily" and begins to drag her away from the table and out of the hall altogether. Once they are away from the vultures that are their fellow students he hisses, "What were you thinking? I thought we agreed to leave one another be at their own tables! For their own safety at that!"

Lily has the sense to look ashamed. "Sorry," she says. "I just… I've been waiting to talk to you."

Alarmed, Severus asks, "Why? Is everything alright with Sage?"

Her face darkens. Lily looks around and then pulls him away from the Great Hall's threshold and toward a window. Pulling out her wand, she casts his charm, _Muffliato._ Rigid with what Severus can only call fear (and he _hates_ it), he waits for her to speak. Finally, Lily asks, "Did you know Sage watched his father kill himself?"

He blinks. His fear abruptly gone and leaving him momentarily empty of anything at all. "Yes," he answers.

"Did he tell you tomorrow is the anniversary of his death?"

Severus hesitates for a moment. Finally, he mumbles, "No."

Lily just nods. Face grim and eyes so very sad. "When did he tell you about his father?"

"He didn't."

She frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"Boyd did. Over hols." Severus eyes her then, something a bit like suspicion filling that void inside him. "Did Sage say you could tell me?"

His friend looks away. "He didn't tell me one way or another," she finally says. "I… I actually was wondering if you knew and why you wouldn't have told me."

Severus doesn't know if he should be furious that Lily would just _tell_ him without having Sage's express permission or for the fact Sage would tell Lily at all. Before him too. "I didn't say anything because Boyd asked me not to." A bit of the tension in Lily's form lessens, his answer appearing to have mollified her some. Almost hesitantly, he asks, "How did you manage to get Sage to tell you?"

A self-loathing curl came to Lily's lips. "I reminded him I'm a Muggleborn Gryffindor girl. Even if I blabbed his secret to the whole school, the chances of anyone believing me are slim. They'll think I'm trying to get attention or I'm jealous of his friendship with you and trying to ruin his reputation."

Any anger Severus felt over the fact it's her and not him Sage first confided in about the circumstances of his father's death now gone, he reaches out and wraps a comforting hand around her arm. "Lily…"

She roughly swipes her free arm across her eyes. "No, it's fine," she insists. "I really don't care that I had to remind him that I'm a second-class citizen in this stupid world. He needed to tell someone. I bet he killed himself in our first lifetime because the guilt ate him up until he thought he deserved nothing but death."

"But you _do_ care," whispers Severus. "You're just as good as any other witch, better even. Blood means nothing."

She scoffs. "We both know that's not true."

He gives her arm a squeeze. "Fine, it does matter," he acquiesces. "But when we're done here, dead in this lifetime, I _promise_ it won't."

Lily's eyes shine, but with hope, not tears. A wobbly smile affixing itself on her lips, she says, "Thank you. That means a lot to me."

Severus brushes off her gratitude by saying, "What kind of better world would we be creating if we didn't make blood mean nothing?"

-O-

An hour later, Severus goes back to his dorms to find Sage. It doesn't take long at all. Sage is awake, but still in his bed and dressed in his pajamas. Gingerly he places himself by his cousin's legs.

Sage glances at him, but says nothing and returns to staring at the canopy of his bed.

After a moment, Severus says, "I heard from Lily tomorrow is the anniversary of your father's death."

The boy blinks rapidly. "It is," he croaks.

"Did… Did talking to Lily about it help you last night?"

His cousin turns his head, face inscrutable for a moment. Finally, the brooding set of his brow smoothes away and he whispers, "Yes." Pushing himself into a sitting position, he stares at Severus with a look of pure astonishment. "I'm still sad," he says, "but I feel like I'll make it."

Severus nearly asks what Sages means by "make it", but decides against it a moment later. Reaching into his pocket, Severus pulls out the apples he was saving. "Do you want to work on our essays here today? I know we just have our textbooks for reference, but I'm sure we can figure out some way to pad our word count."

Taking one of the apples, Sage's eyes flash with amusement. "You mean _you_ will figure out a way to make sure our essays are enough inches."

Slyly, he says, "I could make sure it's just my essay that meets Professor McGonagall's requirements."

"No, no," Sage replies. "I'll accept your help. I'm not half as haughty, or stupid, as Lilith Crabbe, to turn down your expertise."

He chuckles.

Plucking at his jimjams, Sage says, "Can you wait a minute for me? I want to change. It feels odd to be in my jimjams when you're fully dressed."

Severus nods, scooting out of his cousin's way. Watching him walk out of the dorms with his clothes in hand, he breathes a sigh of relief. It seems like Sage will make it through this year.

-o-O-o-

A month post the anniversary of the death of Sage's father, his friend is finally himself again. Perhaps even better than himself. He smiles a little more and on occasion, he and Lily have gone off to do something together – just the two of them. In fact, at this very moment, they are up in the Astronomy tower working on an assignment together. Severus is relieved to see that his cousin is finally seeking out the company of others, rather than being drawn in by someone else. It feels like a good sign. It doesn't mean what happened in their first lifetime can't happen again, but he's begun to get the feeling it's less and less likely Sage will die young.

Taking an off-beat path to his and Lily's classroom, he pauses when the sound of a girl's giggle drifts out of a classroom. He nearly turns back right then, the last thing he wants is to pass a classroom being used by a couple of lovestruck teenagers. However, a moment later a _man's_ chortle bursts from a room a couple of meters down the corridor. Severus knows without any doubt that it's Professor Higgs with a girl. Disgusted, Severus draws his wand, prepared to make a commotion that will draw them out when the girl says something.

His mouth drops open. He knows that voice. Creeping toward the classroom Higgs and the teenager occupy, he pauses just inches away from the cracked open door. Squinting his eyes, he peers in to see that Higgs has Narcissa wrapped in an intimate embrace. What is Narcissa doing? She has only ever had eyes for Lucius. Higgs hands slowly slide down from the small of the teenager's back and settle on her backside. His hands move languidly over it, feeling it. Severus glances to Narcissa's face. For a second, it's besotted, then, enraged and Higgs is abruptly shoved back several inches.

Narcissa's wand digging into his chest, he strains his ears to hear Narcissa's words when her lips part.

"I know what you are, Higgs," she hisses. "You are a pig." Pulling her wand away from his chest, she jabs it threateningly in the direction the professor's nads. "You will leave my housemates _alone_ , do you understand me? They are fine ladies and deserve much better than a lecher like you."

Professor Higgs sneers at her. " _They_ are the ones who want _me_."

"Is that so? What about Clara Parkinson?"

The man glares at her.

Jutting out her chin, Narcissa tells him, "You will not come back to teach at Hogwarts next year."

"You can't–"

Speaking over him, the teenager tells him, "I _can_. I am a _Black_ who is engaged to marry Lucius _Malfoy_. I have more power than a man like you can even dream of. If you know what's good for you, you will _not_ come back to teach at Hogwarts next year."

Higg's face is one of hate and disgust, but he doesn't fight Narcissa.

The teenager crosses her arms. "You can leave now."

Severus hurries to duck out of the way of the door as it swings open. Higgs stalks right past him – completely oblivious to the fact he is right there watching him go. Well, isn't that something? They are definitely better off with the man gone. It's one thing to have a professor who chases after teenage girls. It's another thing entirely to have one who gets off with a student and has no sense of discretion. That's a scandal in the making.

Narcissa trails out a moment later. Unlike Higgs, however, she notices him immediately. "Hello," she says.

"'Lo."

Standing tall with pride and satisfaction, she tells him, "He's not going to be a problem anymore. Especially not for girls like Clara."

Severus nods. "I'm glad."

"So am I," Narcissa says. Then, a little more critically, she says, "Curfew is coming up in an hour. Don't be late back to the dorms."

He nearly rolls his eyes. "Yes, Mum."

She barks a laugh. Reaching out, she ruffles his hair and says, "You're not half as witty as you think you are."

"That's your opinion," he sniffs back primly.

The teenager chuckles a little more before she lifts a hand in goodbye. "I'll be waiting for you back in the common room, Severus Snape."

"See you later."

He watches her leave. Severus always knew Narcissa was a woman to be reckoned with, but it's something else entirely to see that she's been such a powerful force before she even graduated from Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	33. Splitting: XIII

Professor Higgs doesn't even try to pretend he's interested in teaching after that night with Narcissa. The students notice first, of course, but the professors aren't blind forever. In fact, Albus even pulls the man aside during dinner just a week past the incident to speak to him about his change in behavior. Whatever Higgs says to the headmaster must not have been to his liking, because he looks rather resigned for the rest of dinner and doesn't touch his food again.

It's not a look Severus is unfamiliar with. He often wore such an expression when it became clear the curse on the Defense position claimed yet another victim. Severus almost wants to get up and tell the man that compared to the many problems he's facing and will encounter, this one is at least manageable. All he has to do is keep a replenishing list of potential candidates in his desk to call upon after each school year to replace the one he lost.

Severus doesn't. He's not a dunderhead. If he even dared to talk to the man like an equal rather like a student, not only would Severus be shot down, the occasional suspicious glances sent his way would increase tenfold. Albus is viewed as one of the greatest wizards of his age besides. He can handle finding a new professor to fill the Defense position without input from the likes of Severus.

-o-O-o-

With summer fast approaching, things become more hectic. Severus and Lily are helping the Black brothers and Sage prep for their exams on a near daily basis. When they aren't helping "the boys", as they've begun to call them, they are actively rowing about what to do about Scabior. Severus doesn't think his issues are something they can solve by the school year's end. Lily insists they could at least start fixing things if they informed someone about Scabior's homelife.

Severus is angry with her a lot of the time. He asks her and asks her what she thinks those they tell will do to help Scabior and she honestly never has much of an answer to offer in return. She doesn't know. If he's honest, _Severus_ doesn't know what would happen if they told someone either. He knows from when it occasionally came up during his time as a professor the results varied greatly.

In one case, a girl was removed entirely from her home and placed in the care of Professor Vector's mother. She was a much better student after that. Bolder, more inquisitive. In another case, the family of two brothers was visited after one came back from Christmas hols with a significant limp. In the end, the children were left in the care of their parents. After that, however, the boys were much more reserved and didn't spend their free time with anyone besides one another. Severus always suspected they feared anyone else finding evidence of what went on at home and having a repeat of whatever terrifying event happened after the child welfare workers visited. With the last case Severus witnessed, the children (two sisters and a squib brother) were taken from their parents the same as the first girl, but things did not improve for them. Whatever family took them in either treated them just as poorly, or, perhaps, gave their parents access to them.

From what little Scabior has given away about his family and what he knows about the Scabiors himself, Severus fears if they say anything Scabior and his siblings are most likely to turn out like the final case. The Scabiors are a fairly large family, all things considered, but they also have a poor reputation. It's not just that they're poor, but people say they're mean, say their simpletons, and lushes. If Scabior and his siblings aren't left with their parents, they will likely end up with uncles or aunts or cousins who aren't any better than their father.

Severus has said such to Lily. She usually has nothing to say beyond, " _They deserve better!"_

He feels this is a given. Finally, in a fit of annoyance, he declares, "Why don't I just ask him what he wants to be done? It's his life we're fucking with!"

Lily blinks at him. Her expression then turns thoughtful. Tapping her fingers consideringly along her thigh. Finally, she says, "Twelve is a bit young to be making decisions like this, don't you think?"

In a general sort of way, he agrees. Most twelve-year-olds in Severus experience can hardly be trusted to decide how many sweets are too many to eat. Scabior, though…

"He's made harder. He chose to take a hit for his little sister. Picking pain isn't exactly an easy decision to make."

She sighs. "Do it," she finally says. "What he picks, we'll go with for now." Eyes hard, she warns, "But if things get worse, I want telling a professor or Madam Pomfrey to be our fallback."

He puts out his hand. "Agreed."

"Then we have a deal," she declares, shaking his hand.

-O-

He finds Scabior in the middle of spelling spiders into Felicity Flint's satchel. He just rolls his eyes. The number of times he's caught the boy harassing the girl despite his repeated warnings about her brothers never ceases to amaze him. Severus is almost tempted to think Scabior fancies her. But, then, he remembers the boy is twelve. Whatever he feels is definitely not attraction or affection.

Sighing loudly, he vanishes the arachnids and pulls Scabior away. "We need to talk," he tells the boy.

Scabior glowers.

Pointedly, Severus ignores him and pulls him up the stairs to his own dorm room. He knows no one is going to be in there currently. His dormmates are predictable. Bringing the boy into the room, he points him at the nearest bed and tells him, "Sit down."

"I'm not a dog," Scabior grumbles as he does as commanded.

Severus is quiet for a moment. Then, he says, "You're right. You're not a dog."

The boy's expression turns to one of wary confusion. He knows something serious is on his very near horizon. Taking a breath, Severus carefully considers how to start this conversation. He doesn't want Scabior to become upset or lash out. He needs an answer from him.

Finally, he begins, "What you need to understand is what my friend wants to do comes out of a place of compassion. She can't bear to see yourself or your siblings suffer needlessly." Studying Scabior's face, all he sees is a gradual hardening of his jaw. It's a sign of dislike, but not necessarily combativeness. "My friend wants to alert a professor or another adult to what your father did to you over Christmas hols."

Eyes blowing wide, Scabior starts, "She 'as no right–!"

"–I agree with you," Severus cuts in. "This is your decision, not hers."

The boy looks unsure then, like he can't quite believe Severus would side with him. "What decision are we talkin' about 'ere exactly?" he asks after a moment.

"What you want to do about your father. Do you want yourself and your siblings to continue to live with him or would you rather take your chances and see if the children's welfare department at the Ministry couldn't have you removed and placed somewhere safer?"

Scabior's face becomes blank and unreadable. Even his eyes are turned so far inward Severus can only begin to guess at what is going on inside his mind without legilimency. He's almost tempted to take a peak in the boy's head as the silence draws on between them, but decides against it should he see things that make him regret looking in the first place.

"I want things to stay like they are," Scabior finally decides. "It was the drink that made 'im so mean. Uncle Bobbie gave 'im gin for Christmas. 'Im an' gin don't agree, accordin' to Mam."

Severus nods. He's sure Scabior's lying. There's no way it's just the gin that made him so horrible. What Severus is willing to believe is that, perhaps, he's not always so physical with his children. He's probably just verbally or mentally abusive most of the time. It best explains Scabior's brutish and malicious tendencies, anyway.

"If that's what you wish," says Severus.

The boy gives a stout nod. "It is."

-O-

"So? What does Scabior want to do?"

"He wants to continue the status quo."

"Oh…"

"Did you really expect differently?"

"I guess not, no."

"Kids like him are used to standing on their own two feet. Give it time. He might change his mind if I continue to show I'm not going to leave him to deal with everything on his own."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I think there's a chance yet."

"Thank Merlin. He deserves so much better than what he has."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	34. Splitting: XIV

"Hey, do you think your cousin would let me stay with you and her family for a week or two during the summer?" asks Sirius one afternoon while they are sitting together in the library.

Severus looks up from the book he's reading and at Sirius, who is staring intently at a sheet of paper he's turned into a makeshift calendar. "Just you or you and Regulus?"

Sirius glances up. "Just me," he says, then, hesitantly, "Maybe both of us for a couple of days toward the end of however long my stay is?"

He tips back in his chair a little. He doesn't think Aunt Vesta would have much, if any problem, hosting Sirius for a week and Regulus for a few days. She'd been beside herself with excitement when they came by for a day last summer. He'll have to write her for surety, but Severus is quite confident she'll leap at the chance to host the Black heir (and spare). It's Sage Severus really has to think about.

He's a reserved sort (much like Severus, if he's honest). A week might be a bit much for him. He sighs. He'll have to ask him his thoughts on an extended stay from Sirius. Perhaps explain that things are a bit turbulent for Sirius at his home and they'd really be doing the boy a favor if they let him stay. Sage isn't the sympathetic sort necessarily, but he is a Slytherin and might see that it could be to their benefit should he need something from Sirius later. As much of a Gryffindor as he is, Sirius likely knows that not everything Severus has done for him is because of good will. He was raised by Slytherins, after all.

"I'll have to double-check with Aunt Vesta, but you can likely stay for a week and a half mid-July, right before Sage and I are to go stay with his brother for the last half of the summer."

Sirius scribbles in just less than a dozen blocks on his hand-drawn calendar. Putting down his quill, he grins. "Wicked! That's almost half the summer away!"

Severus leans in at those words. "Pardon?"

He lifts his calendar to show Severus. There are blocks scribbled in all over the place. It's a bit erratic with only one other big block toward the end of the summer. "This is my visiting mates schedule for the summer," he explains to Severus. "James is the other big block at the end, but he has a couple of days in June and July too. Remus is letting me come over a few days here and there over the summer too. Peter's promised a long weekend the week after the term's finished. He also says I might be able to stay a day or two in August after he gets back from staying with his Aunt and Uncle in Wales."

Hesitantly, Severus asks, "Things with your parents aren't getting better?"

The boy's face darkens. "They keep pushing me to be this person I'm _not_. You'd have thought getting sorted into Gryffindor would have shown them I'm different, but they think it's all just rebellion." He snorts. " _Rebellion_ would be getting a tattoo or sneaking into Muggle clubs." He brightens a fraction then. "Narcissa says after she marries next summer I can start to stay with her during hols."

"You realize she's marrying Lucius Malfoy?" says Severus.

He nods. "He's kind of a prick," Sirius replies. "Narcissa tells me I'll find him downright bearable compared to my parents, though." He smirks impishly and adds, "'Specially once she tells him to let me be."

Severus imagines Sirius (and Narissa) are quite right. He knew Lucius fairly well in his first lifetime. He did quite a bit in the name of pleasing his wife. Allowing Sirius to spend his summers and Christmases with them and not being a huge git to him is a pretty small request. Even more so when compared to some of the things Narcissa asked of him over the years. Mostly, for Lucius, it comes down to avoiding the boy when possible and not making too many disparaging remarks about Gryffindor.

Though, Severus has to wonder what Voldemort will think of Lucius housing a reprobate in his manor. Lucius better have a clever lie in place for that one.

"Brill," he says, trying to imbue his words with an impressed sort of feeling.

Sirius smiles back, pleased at the compliment.

-o-O-o-

_Severus,_

_Your father is dead. You may write me when you like now._

_Mother_

He reads the paper over and over, disbelieving. How can his father be dead? He was alive well into Severus's twenties in his first lifetime. Despite how much he drank, smoked, and went about in a mad mood, he'd survived his mother by nearly a decade. _What has happened_?

"Severus? What's wrong? You look a bit ill…"

His attention snaps to Sage, who sits across from him, a worried furrow between his brows. He doesn't know what to say. What can he say? His father's dead. It's not sad news, but neither is it happy news. Perhaps, it's empty news. Severus does feel rather hollow all of a sudden. Shoving the letter into his pocket, he gets to his feet and says, "I just need some air."

Sage makes to get up. He motions for the boy to stay. "I won't be long."

The boy reluctantly does as asked. Once he's sure he won't spring up and follow him, Severus turns his back and hurries out of the hall. Once out of view of the Great Hall, he runs. Severus runs and runs until he's in the owlery. For a moment, he curses the fact he doesn't have a quill. Then, he draws his wand and transfigures a crate into a Muggle pen. Picking it up, he flips over his mother's letter and considers what to write.

Finally, he decides on:

_When? How?_

There are so many other things he wants to ask. Like, _What now_? Does she want him to come and live with her again? Is she going to leave their townhouse on Spinner's End and come live in the Magical World again? Has she held a funeral? Does Aunt Vesta know? What about her father? As much as he wants an answer to these questions, Severus is afraid to ask too many. Almost as far back as he can remember, his parents' relationship has been agonistic. They rowed frequently and sometimes Dad would slap her around. All of the kind gestures directed at one another that he'd witnessed Severus could count on one hand.

Even so, Mum insisted she loved him. In fact, she loved him so much she would pick Dad over him. Despite all he had done to her and him. He swallows back a bitter lump and pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind. Now is not the time to brood over things cannot be changed. Severus wants answers first. He calls over an owl and ties the letter to its ankle.

"Take this to Eileen Snape on Spinner's End in Cokeworth."

The owl chirps and takes off. Severus stays rooted to his spot and watches until it is nothing but a dot in the sky.

-O-

When Severus returns to the Great Hall some fifteen minutes later, the first thing Sage asks is, "Where did you go?"

"Like I said, I just needed some air," he lies. "I don't think I'm feeling all that well today. I might go back to our dorms after breakfast and skip Charms." Feigning a look of pleading, he asks, "You'll take notes for me, won't you?"

"We're reviewing today. I don't think there will be notes," Sage replies.

He nods. "Good day to be ill then, wouldn't you agree?"

The boy frowns. "Sure," he says.

Severus tries to draw him into a conversation about other topics, but his cousin rebuffs his attempts and spends the rest of breakfast staring at his plate. When breakfast begins to draw to a close, Severus watches him pick up his satchel and leave without even a goodbye. He sighs. He can't understand it. Why is Sage upset with him? He's never pushed him to talk about things he didn't want to, why should Severus have to speak so freely about things he'd rather not?

Sometimes, others make no sense to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	35. Splitting: XV

After trying to get Sage to tell him why he's upset several times over the rest of the day, Severus steps back. If Sage wants to be angry, he can be angry. It doesn't seem to be the type of fury that can grow into a grudge and that's all that matters. He knows it'll fade and they'll go back to the way things were. Of course, Lily doesn't agree.

The next morning, when Severus and Lily are walking in the direction of the Great Hall for breakfast they cross paths with Sage. The boy's expression instantly darkens and he turns around to walk back in the direction of the Slytherin dorms rather than hurry to them to take up the free spot on Severus's left.

Lily puts a hand to her cheek. "Is he alright?"

"He's upset about something," replies Severus, "won't say what. It's probably best to just let him get over it on his own time."

She saddles him with a look that seems to imply he's an imbecile. "Have you tried asking him why?"

"Yes!"

His friend sighs. "Did you ask him what crawled up his arse? Or use some other _lovely_ phrase?"

"No," Severus snaps.

She narrows her eyes. "Did you _demand_ he explain why he's upset with you?"

He scowls. "I just said, 'Tell me what it is I've done so I know what I need to apologize for'!"

Lily shakes her head. "Go on to breakfast," she says. "I'll see if Sage is willing to talk to me. Perhaps we can settle before it begins to fester."

"You're sure?" Severus questions.

She nods. "Go," she insists, shooing him in the direction of the Great Hall.

Reluctantly Severus goes. He only glances over his shoulder once to check on Lily, who's speeding off after Sage's shrinking back. He rubs his forehead to ward off an approaching headache and heads into the noisy hall.

Just as he finishes putting a serving of beans on his plate, an owl swoops low and drops a letter into his breakfast. Severus sends the bird a glare before he puts the spoon back in its dish and picks up the letter instead. His stomach drops when he realizes it's Muggle parchment. This letter is from Mum. Opening it, he reads the succinct message inside:

_Dear Severus,_

_In regard to your questions, your father died two days ago. I don't know how. I went to the corner store to pick up tea and floor polish and when I returned I found him sprawled on the floor in the front room. I called an ambulance and he was taken to hospital. The Muggle healers initial impression is it may have been a heart attack or an aneurysm of some kind as there is no visible cause of death. Personally, I'm not convinced. They say they will inform me of the exact cause after the coroner examines him. I should hear back today or tomorrow._

_Speaking of the coroner, once I receive a call from him or someone from hospital about the cause of your father's death, I will be leaving to stay with cousin Vesta. Any further letters you wish to send should be owled to the Montague Estate._

_If everything goes accordingly, I will accompany Vesta to retrieve you and Sage from King's Cross in a few weeks time._

_Mum_

Severus folds up the letter and shoves it in the pocket of his robe. He stares blankly at his food, no longer hungry. Under different circumstances, Severus would think little of their being no outward signs of death. Dad had died from a heart attack in his first lifetime, after all. But now? Severus suspects something foul. Especially so given his mother's words.

_Personally, I'm not convinced._

Mind working overtime to think of potential causes for what (or, rather, _who_ ) could have caused his dad's death, Severus doesn't even notice Lily, face full of rage and hurt, approaching him. In fact, he doesn't even notice her when she's panting heavily overtop his head. Or when she growls his name. It's only when she grabs his shoulder that he reacts.

He twists out of her hold with all of the ease of one who's used to being caught from behind. Drawing his wand in one quick, smooth motion, Severus shoots off a finger-removing jinx. It effectively makes it both impossible for the girl to grab him again or for her to grab her wand.

"Severus!" she gasps as he comes to his senses and remembers this isn't a war zone.

Blinking at the sight of a shocked, fingerless Lily, Severus hurriedly casts the counter. "Shit," he says. "I didn't know it was you."

Pale from shock and fear, she curls and uncurls her fingers for a moment, saying nothing. Finally, eyes taking on a look of steely determination, she tells him, "You, I, _and_ Sage need to have a discussion right now about what type of information can be kept secret and which needs to be shared immediately."

Still not quite fully in the present, Severus nods. He gets to his feet and follows Lily out of the Great Hall. Both so dazed with their respective problems (Severus, with his father's death, and Lily, with Severus and his reluctance to share his troubles) they fail to notice fellow students whispering about them and are completely oblivious to the professors watching their retreating backs.

-O-

Lily takes him to their classroom. Sage is there, curiously looking at a couple of potions Severus is brewing. It's on the tip of his tongue to turn around and scold the girl. This is supposed to be _their_ space. Now, it's not. Sage knows about it, might come looking for it later. Severus will have to be careful about what he brews and what types of notes and books he leaves lying around from now on.

When Lily clears her throat, Sage immediately turns his full attention to them. Having been told on their way to the room by Lily that Sage received a letter from his mother informing him of the death of Severus's father shortly after Severus got his own, the first thing he asks is, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Sage frowns. "Why didn't _you_ say anything?"

He looks to Lily. She glares back at him. Wincing at the hard stare, he returns his gaze to Sage who's expression is perhaps even more furious than Lily's. Finally, he whispers, "I don't know."

"We're mates, no, we're _family_ ," says Sage. A look of hurt flashes across his features. "Don't you trust me?" He glances to Lily. "Us?"

He turns his attention to his wand, which he still holds in hand. He tightens his grip on it, drawing comfort from the knowledge it can protect him. "Yes." He truly does too. More than he ever trusted Albus in his last lifetime, even. Yet it's not enough. Severus has been burned too many times by those he put his faith. Some things, no, _many_ things are difficult for him to talk about. His father being one of them.

Lily comes to stand beside Sage. Softly, she questions, "Then why have you been keeping your father's death a secret from us?"

"I planned to tell you," he informs them. "I was going to tell you after I had more to say than he's dead."

Lily sighs. "We don't need a report, Sev. Whatever you know the moment you find out something big like this is enough."

"But–"

Sage, voice sharp and firm, cuts over him. "No! There is no reason for you to keep something like this a secret!" He runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "I – _We_ – want to help you, like you help us. But we can't when you keep things like this to yourself!"

Severus feels at a loss as what to say. People haven't wanted to hep him without an ulterior motive for far too long. He doesn't know if there is a right thing to say, either. Finally, after a moment of silence, he murmurs, "I'm sorry."

Shoulders losing their rigidity, Lily says, "You're forgiven."

"Just don't do this again, okay?" Sage pleads, voice no longer cutting.

He nods. "I won't."

Lily bites her lip briefly, then, asks, "Are you Alright? I know your dad and you weren't close, but…"

"I'm fine," he replies. "I won't have to worry so much about Mum anymore." He looks to his cousin. "She's going to stay with Aunt Vesta now."

The other boy nods. "Mum mentioned that in her letter yesterday."

"Well, if your feelings change, we're here for you, okay?"

"Yes, okay."

-o-O-o-

Later that day Severus and Sage are intercepted on their way to the Great Hall for dinner by Horace. Expression pitying, he says, "The Headmaster wishes to see you in his office."

The boys share a look. "About?" Sage asks.

"It's a family matter," he replies evasively.

Severus frowns. He knows what that means. "I see. Thank you, sir."

Together, they go to the office. When they enter, they find Sage's mother and Albus waiting for them. The two are talking in low tones by the fireplace. When they enter the room, the old man turns a sympathetic smile on them. It makes Severus's hackles rise. He did not like the pitying looks when his mother died in his first lifetime and he likes these ones even less.

His father was a bastard and Severus is happier he's dead again than he is upset that once again the man died by a hand that wasn't his.

"Mister Montague, Mister Snape," he greets. "I'm afraid I'm out of lemon sherberts currently, but I have some skeletal sweets in my desk if you'd like me to retrieve them."

"No thank you, sir," Sage answers for the both of them. He next looks to his mother. "Why are you here Mother?" he inquires.

"The funeral for Severus's father is tomorrow," says Aunt Vesta. "I've come to retrieve you two. You and I will be accompanying your Aunt Eileen and Severus for emotional support."

His cousin's words reverberate inside Severus's head. A _funeral_? His father had barely deserved a marked _grave_ (and Severus had only decided on that in the end because he wanted something to spit on for when he got pissed and reminisced on his lackluster childhood). Crossing his arms, he declares, "I'm not going."

The woman gapes at him. "What do you mean you're not going? This is not a choice! Your mother needs you in her time of grief!"

Resentment and anger towards his mother he's kept carefully boxed away now burning brightly in his chest, Severus spits, "I needed Mum to pick me over Dad last year, but that didn't happen!"

Aunt Vesta expression turns to one of pure heartbreak. "Severus, you have every right to be upset about what happened, but don't do this now. This is a hard time for everyone. It's easier to get through it as a family than it is alone."

He clasps hands with Sage and raises them in the air. He thinks of Lily. Sirius, and Narcissa too. They are the people he cares about. Who maybe care about him too. "I have all the family I need right here."

Sage stares wide-eyed at him as the Montague woman begins to tear up. Albus, who's been quietly watching them this entire time, remarks, "Funerals are a chance for closure, Mister Snape. If you do not go, you may find yourself regretting it later."

Severus glares at the old man. "The only thing I'm ever going to regret is never having the chance to stand up to him before he died." Returning his attention to his Aunt Vesta, he says quieter, perhaps even gently, "Mum doesn't need me there. Probably doesn't even want me at it. She never even mentioned a funeral in her letter to me today. Having you there for her will be more than enough. Trust me, Aunt Vesta."

She dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief she pulled out her robe pocket. Her lip lower lip quivers, but she nods. "Alright. If this is truly what you want, I'll go."

"It is," he tells her.

Tucking away her handkerchief, she steps forward and bestows upon each of their foreheads a kiss. By next spring, Severus suspects she'll no longer be able to kiss either of their foreheads without them having to stoop down to her height. Her eyes are still sad as she steps back, but he thinks he sees pride lurking somewhere in her gaze. "I will see you two next at King's Cross."

"Goodbye, Mother," Sage murmurs.

She nods. "Goodbye, my boys." She then turns to Albus. "Thank you for your time, sir."

The old man takes one of the Montague woman's hands and gives it a brief, empathetic squeeze. "You're very welcome, Mrs. Montague. My condolences to you and your family."

"Thank you."

Severus, Sage, and Albus stand in a half-circle around the fireplace and watch her leave. When she's gone, he looks to the headmaster. "May we leave, sir? We have yet to eat dinner."

"Of course," he says. "Mister Snape, if you need anything during this difficult time–"

Firmly, Severus shakes his head. "I won't, thanks."

When the two of them are back in Hogwarts's corridors, walking toward the Great Hall, Sage turns to him and asks, "Your father was really awful, wasn't he?"

Severus doesn't look at his cousin. "He was a bastard. Hated magic. Hated that I was a wizard instead of a Muggle. Hated that Mum never told him she was a witch before they married. He felt she trapped him in a lie."

"I'm sorry."

Severus turns and grabs his cousin. "Don't," he tells him. "It's not something to be sorry about. As terrible as it all is, I'm glad for it. I wouldn't exist otherwise." And if Severus didn't exist, the future would be lost. But he doesn't tell the boy this part. Perhaps he never will, either.

Sage seems to understand. "Okay," he says. He then turns his gaze to somewhere down the corridor. "Come on, let's hurry to the Great Hall. Dinner will be finished soon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	36. Splitting: XVI

The rest of the school year is spent receiving a mixture of sympathetic and searching looks from professors (no doubt all are related to his father's death) and being rabbited about or harassed by other students about the jinx he used on Lily in the Great Hall. It's annoying, but Severus is a seasoned veteran when it comes to irksome children and teenagers.

He scares off younger students who want to know the spell's incantation by threatening to use it on them for demonstration. It works, for the most part, anyway. There's one oddball of a Ravenclaw (a long-nosed girl he doesn't recognize by face or name, so, a nobody that likely died in the first war or fled the country to never return) who's all for having her fingers disappear and makes a habit of begging Severus to jinx her whenever they're in the same vicinity. It only takes a couple of encounters before Severus starts avoiding anywhere she might be at all costs.

As for older students, his methods vary. If it's a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor asking for the spell, he scoffs and asks them why _they_ don't know it. It's so simple! It usually causes enough affront or embarrassment on their parts they leave in a huff to never bother him again. Hufflepuffs are fairly easy to turn away, he just tells them no. Though, some are persistent and ask him again and again. After a boy asks him for the fourth time, however, he casts a _levicorpus_ on him and leaves the boy to hang upside down for a few minutes before canceling the spell. All it takes is a raised eyebrow afterward to make the boy scurry off. He never asks Severus for the jinx again. Nor does the majority of Hufflepuff.

And Slytherins… They don't need to ask. As far as jinxes go, a finger-removing one is rudimentary knowledge for anyone thirteen and older. If he wasn't already aware of how very warped the majority of the families his fellow Slytherins come from are, he may have spent several afternoons brooding over their poor upbringings.

Some fifth and sixth year Gryffindors attempt to corner Severus at one point to "pay him back" for what he did to Lily at one point. They come out a lot worse for wear than he does once Sirius and Potter (of all people) come across them and join in the fray to fight on Severus's behalf.

" _Those are your housemates," he points out after the upper years run off._

 _Potter scowls. "Daft wankers, is what they are. Lily_ told _everyone that she was fine and you hadn't meant to jinx her. Besides that, you fixed her hands right away."_

_"Yeah, they're just being arses. They're only singling you out 'cause you did it in front of almost the whole school. Other Slytherins have been hexing and jinxing people all year on purpose in the corridors and you don't see them going after those ones."_

_Severus has never been a very good at being gracious, but he nods and says, "Thanks, by the way."_

_Potter grins devilishly. "What would Lily think if we'd just let her boyfriend get beaten up, huh?"_

_"Not her boyfriend," he huffs._

_Sirius and Potter just laugh._

After that day, disliking Potter becomes more difficult than ever before. Severus stays adamant, however, that they will never be mates. At least not close ones, if they must be mates at all. It might be impossible not to be friends someday if Lily marries him once more.

-o-O-o-

The Express a pleasant rumble beneath his feet and the world outside an inoffensive blur of green country scenery, Severus turns his attention to his companions in the compartment. Lily sits beside him, her feet tucked up by her side, reading a Madam Loving's romance novel. He doesn't understand what she sees in the books. It's a bunch of drivel and rot, as far as he's concerned. He looks across the compartment. Sage and Regulus are playing a game of Exploding Snaps. Occasionally, Sage accuses Regulus of cheating. Which the Black spare always brushes off with a bemused dissenting cry.

Severus almost wants to interrupt them to inform Sage he really is just that awful at the game. But now may be his only opportunity to have one last pep talk (as much as he loathes to call it one) with Lily about his mother. Severus turns to his friend once more and says, "What am I going to say to her?"

Lily closes her book and gives him her full attention. "Whatever you want."

"Like it's that easy."

She sighs. "Sev, it's _her_ who should be doing the talking. She just let you go! Alone, at that."

He looks away. "I could have gone back to her. It wouldn't have been difficult."

Lily pokes him in the shoulder. Hard. "And I would have told you to go right back to the Montagues! You deserved better than Spinner's End. And you've finally gotten it. If she expects you to apologize or something, she's nutters."

"Lily," he growls.

His friend pouts at him, but apologies nonetheless. "I'm sorry, I know she's your mum, but…"

"Yes," he agrees. "I know." Then, just once more, he asks, "Do you truly believe I should let her talk first?"

Lily encases his fingers with her hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. "I really do."

He nods once at her, showing that he understands, before returning his attention to the uncomplicated blurs outside their train compartment's window.

-O-

When he sees her, his first thought is she looks both better and worse than when he last saw her. His mother is dressed in a gray robe that appears to be made out of velvet. it's fitted around the middle, yet flares outwards around her knees; it's an attractive cut. Something he's seen many slim witches tall enough to pull off wearing around Hogsmeade on weekends he's spent out traipsing the village with Lily, Sage, and Sirius. Her hair is cut shorter than his own in a bob. It makes her worryingly thin face look fuller. When she sees him, she does not smile. If anything, her eyes become even more distant. It feels as if she's trying to hide away from him in her mind even if she can't physically.

Severus does his best not to be hurt by it. It has to be hard for her to see him after so long. After he left her all alone with Dad. Sage grabs his hand for the briefest moment and gives it a squeeze. He turns his head and gives his cousin a quick smile, which Sage returns with a wider, reassuring one of his own. When they stop in front of Severus's mother, Aunt Vesta, and Boyd, they all just stare at one another. Or, rather, the Montagues stare at him and his mother.

"You've grown since I last saw you," his mother finally says.

He tempers the urge to roll his eyes and snarks, "I hear that's common with teenage boys."

Aunt Vesta hisses through her teeth, "Severus!"

His mother reaches out and places a hand on her cousin's arm. "It's fine." Then, she falls silent for a moment. "May I hug you?" she asks Severus. "It's been so very long."

"Yes," Severus agrees reluctantly. His mother's bony arms reach out and pull him against her skeletal frame. Gingerly he wraps his own arms around his mother, afraid if he squeezes too hard he may break her.

He stiffens when he feels her lips brush across his ear. "Meet me in the kitchen at one in the morning," she breathes.

Severus's eyebrows shoot toward his hairline as his mother abruptly pulls away. "I love you, too," he murmurs, trying to play off the look of shock he knows is on his face.

Mother nods, a pleased sort of expression on her face. It makes Severus's heart swell just a little (even though he should know better than to let it), knowing his mother approves of his quick thinking. Aunt Vesta then reaches out for him, pulling him in for a strong embrace of her own. He returns it, hugging her a little stronger than he did his own mother. She can not only take it, but probably appreciates it as well.

"So, how was the ride?" Boyd asks, eyes scanning the crowds still waiting for their children to find them. Severus knows he's looking for the Parkinsons. He wonders how much longer it will be until he announces an engagement to Violet.

Sardonically, he replies, "Horrid."

"That's nice," he mumbles absently.

Aunt Vesta slaps the back of his head. "Pay attention to your cousin. If the Parkinson girl wants to see you, she can seek you out!"

Boyd gapes at his mother. "How–"

The Montague woman scoffs in an entirely unladylike way. "I know my sons." Then, with a little smirk, she adds, "And the two of you are so besotted that you're just awful at hiding your intentions."

Nervously, he asks, "You don't think her brother or father have noticed, do you…?"

Giving her older son's cheek a playful pinch, she assures him, "It's quite unlikely. Men are not very good at noticing those sorts of things. Don't you agree, Eileen?"

Severus's mother blinks like she's stepping out of a fog. "Mm," she says in a way that Aunt Vesta can easily take as agreement.

Which she does. "See?" she says. Then, looking at the crowds, she says, "Now, I know you want to see Violet, but we really need to be going if we want to make it to our reservation at _Giovanni's_ on time."

-o-O-o-

"Mum?" Severus calls into the darkness of the kitchen.

The room becomes illuminated by a dull yellow light. Severus quickly spots his mother sitting at the room's table, staring at him. Without missing a beat, she says,"Your Aunt Vesta wanted me to give you a couple of days to settle in, but I'm certain you wouldn't have appreciated it."

Padding into the room, he slips into the chair across from her. "…This is about Dad, isn't it?"

"The Muggles couldn't find an obvious cause of death," she informs him. Then, she looks away and releases a small sigh. "Your father confounded them, actually. They wanted to run more tests than I was comfortable with."

She falls silent after that. It takes less than a minute before Severus becomes uneasy with the quiet and decides to ask, "What does this mean to us?"

His mum's eyes snap back to him, a spark of life in them that's been missing all day. "It means nothing to you," she tells him sharply. "I just felt you ought to know. I know you have no love for your father, but he was still important."

Severus ignored the sting of her words and nods. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find the bitch or bastard who killed him," she snarls.

"Mum–"

She stands swiftly. "No! Don't you say anything! He was my _husband_. I will find his murderer if it's the last thing I do!"

Before Severus can say anything else, a pop sounds. They both turn their heads in the direction of the room's stove to see the Montagues' house elf, Topper, standing there. Sleepily, the creatures rubs at his eyes. "Mrs. Snape, Master Snape, is there something you be needing?" Topper inquires.

Severus shakes his head. "No, Topper. We just both happen to have come down here after not being able to sleep."

"I can make yous some tea," the elf offers.

"No, thank you," Mum says. "I'm starting to feel tired." Coming around the table, she pats Severus's head as she passes. "I'll see you in the morning."

Once he's sure she's gone, Severus returns his attention to Topper and pleads, "You'll keep an eye on her for me, won't you? I don't think Mum is well."

The elf nods. "I can do that, Master Snape." Then, hopefully, he asks, "Tea?"

Severus sighs. "Yes, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	37. Split

It's surreal being back in Cokeworth, even if it's only for the afternoon to see Lily. He used to spend most of his summers here in his first lifetime, even after he was grown. But after a year away, it just feels different. Someday not so far off from now, Severus will truly have no reason to come back. His home on Spinner End belongs to someone else now, in a few years, Lily will leave this place altogether to live in her own flat in the Magical world he'll visit instead. It's an odd realization, but a good one. He's eager for the day he can put this place behind him and forget it and its painful memories.

Unlike some people, anyway. The thought sours his mood. His mother spends a lot of time dwelling on the past. Especially on the day of his father's death. Most of her days are filled with hours reviewing her memories from that day in a Pensieve and going to their home on Spinner's End looking for "evidence". Currently, she appears to be spinning her wheels and getting nowhere with finding out who murdered Dad. Severus hates to say it, but he's grateful. When she does figure it out, their lives will once again be in a state of flux. Not a good flux either. Severus has a gut-wrenching feeling that the one who committed the murder is far closer to them than his mother realizes.

Severus is pulled from his thoughts a moment later when Lily's long-winded tale about _Potter's_ visit to her home abruptly ends. He frowns. "Lily?" he says, wondering if she's caught on to him not paying her story any mind.

Quietly, Lily tells him, "James fancies my sister."

"I'm sorry, repeat that for me?" Because he must have heard wrong.

Lily shifts uncomfortably. "James. I think he fancies my sister."

Severus pauses for a moment to take in Lily's words. It's a mad thought she has, but not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. In fact, he can sort of see it. Before Lily, James dated a couple of different girls. Kissed some more. There was a petite blonde from Hufflepuff in their fourth year he went out with for a month, then a Gryffindor a year above them shortly before he started his relationship with Lily. Again, a blonde. Though, unlike the Hufflepuff, she'd been of average height and had an athletic build. Likely from being a part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, actually.

While Petunia in Severus's eyes has always come up short beside her sister in every way (not just beauty), she's not actually half bad to look at. It'd be strange if she were truly plain, even. Lily is a beautiful girl and will a stunning woman. Petunia also follows the "type" James appeared to have before Lily in their first lifetime. Blonde, slim, pale. He's not sure what he sees in her personality because Petunia is still a bit of a shrew and a negative Nancy most of the time, but, obviously, _something_ has drawn him in.

"What about Petunia?" Severus asks.

His friend begins to drum her fingers along her thigh. "She's flattered, I think. A _wizard_ fancies her. I'm not sure if she likes him back, but I'm certain if he asked her on a date, she'd say yes regardless."

He nods. Suddenly, a worrisome thought comes to mind. Turning to face her fully, he meets her gaze and questions, "You're not upset with either of them, are you?"

Lily shakes her head. "I… I wish it was me he was looking at that instead of Pet, but, no. I'm not upset with either of them. It's not like James knows how weird it is, or as if Petunia seduced him on purpose to steal him from me."

Severus lets go of a breath he didn't quite realize he was holding until just now. It's dumb, but he feared Lily might do something rash to lay claim over her boy-husband. Kiss James, maybe. Tell him she loved him. _Something_. Severus tells himself the chances of anything more than friendship forming between the two of them is next to impossible, but it's nice. Hoping, he means. When Lily's not tied to a bloke, he can pretend that something more is on the horizon for the two of them.

"It probably won't amount to anything," says Severus. "Pet's sixteen, James fourteen. She's a Muggle here in Cokeworth and he's a wizard who spends most of the year at a school in Scotland." He smiles a little at Lily who's beginning to look a little less glum. "If they last more than a summer, I'll eat my sock."

The girl giggles. "I'll be holding you to that," she teases.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

-o-O-o-

"Severus! Severus!" Sage shouts as he barges into his bedroom.

Pushing himself out of his sheets and duvet, he squints at cousin and demands, "What in the bloody Hell do you think you're doing?" He glances at the grandfather clock kept by his armoire. "It's _six_ in the morning," he grumbles.

The boy has the decency to flush pink and rein in his excitement. He shuffles in his spot, waiting for Severus to give him a more positive reaction.

Severus sighs and gets out of bed and pulls on his robe. "Come on, what is it?" he asks. "It's obviously good news." Tying his dressing robe closed, he mutters more to himself than Sage, "Merlin knows we could use some."

"Boyd's owl was tapping at my window," he explains, "it delivered this."

He takes the small envelope from his cousin and pulls out the card inside. Sage vibrating with energy beside him as he opens and reads the card, Severus lets a slow smile spread across his face. Handing it back when done, he says, "It took them long enough!"

Sage gives a short laugh. "Yes, they really were obvious, weren't they?"

Nodding, he asks his cousin, "Have you shown this to your mother yet?"

"No."

He grabs Sage's hand and drags him right out of his room. "Come on, I'm sure she's going to be so over the moon she insists we fire call your brother in our jim-jams!"

-O-

While Severus had been joking about the jim-jams part, they do exactly that. Aunt Vesta is so overjoyed that her oldest son is getting married, she has them all squeeze into the fireplace in her room and calls Boyd the moment she finishes reading his and Violet's announcement.

Boyd finds it hilarious that they are still in their sleep clothes and laughs at their expense before settling down to happily answer all of his mother's questions. Yes, Violet Parkinson likes the ring he proposed with. Yes, he asked her father for her hand in marriage first. Yes, he gave his blessing. Yes, they will want her input for the wedding. Yes, they will be holding an engagement party in a week's time and Violet, her sister, and mother will be happy to have Aunt Vesta's help setting it up. Yes, they won't draw this engagement out for too long. In fact, Violet wants a winter wedding just before New Year's Eve. It goes on like this for quite a while and just as Severus is beginning to get bored and his feet cold from standing barefoot on the wood floors of Aunt Vesta's room, Boyd turns his attention to them.

"Will you be my best man, Sage? And Severus, an usher?" he asks them.

They share a brief look before they answered in unison, "Yes."

He seems relieved at their unity. "I want you two to know I don't expect either of you to fulfill the usual duties of a best man and usher. You're both so young and should be focusing on your schooling _,_ " Boyd tells them. "You're my brother and good as these days, it just seemed right to give you two the roles over a couple of mates. Especially since Clara is going to be Violet's Maid of Honor."

Sage graciously nods on their behalf. After a few more minutes of talking and Aunt Vesta extracting from Boyd a promise to come around for a proper sit-down dinner with his new fiancée sometime this week before the party, they say their last congratulations and goodbyes before ending the call.

A couple of hours later, when they are all eating breakfast and in good spirits, Severus's mother enters the room. Almost tangibly the light in the room dims. Taking a seat beside Severus, she says nothing as she reaches for the kettle and pours herself a cup. It's likely all she'll have this morning. Severus's mother doesn't eat much these days.

Trying to regain the mood, Aunt Vesta says, "I have some good news."

His mother raises an eyebrow and waits.

The Montague woman sighs inaudibly with defeat before she says, "Boyd's engaged."

"To a pretty, priss of a Pureblood, I assume?"

Aghast, Aunt Vesta cries, "Eileen!"

"I'm not wrong, am I?" she demands, expression sour. "You raised your son to be like all the other little Pureblood boys, didn't you? Told him to not make a fool of himself in public, respect the Twenty-Eight's blood and, if they have them, their fortunes. That girl there is beneath you because her mother's a vampire, or _worse,_ a Muggle. Make sure those little half-bloods and Mudbloods know they are never as good as you by hexing them when they turn their backs. Marry up, never down. Public image before family. Blood always trumps love."

As tears begin to swim in the Montague woman's eyes, Severus hops to his feet. "Mum!" he yells. "Stop this! It's not like it's their fault Dad's dead!"

Upturning her cup of tea, she screams, "We don't know that!"

Holding Sage, who went to her the moment his mother began her tirade, tight in her arms, Aunt Vesta looks between Mum and Severus. "You told me the Muggle coroner said it was a heart attack," whispers the woman.

His mum turns her gaze away from their cousin. "I lied." Quietly, she adds, "They never did figure out what killed him. There was nothing there for them to determine a cause."

Shaking, she holds her son all the tighter as she insists, "It wasn't us. Not me. Not my children. We _love_ you. Love you both."

Mum stills. Expression blank, she says, "The ones you hold dearest are the most likely to do the cruelest things to you."

"That's not true!"

Rage lights a fire in the emaciated woman's eyes. "Isn't it, though? My father disowned me for loving a man he thought our lesser. My husband hurt me for being something I could not help." She points at Aunt Vesta with a shaking hand and hisses, " _You_ , Vesta, took my child from me because you thought me an unfit mother."

Aunt Vesta's mouth moves, but no words come out.

His mother sneers. "You have nothing to say now, do you?" Not waiting for a reply, she spins around and leaves them all behind.

In the following moments, the only sound is the drip-drop of Mum's spilled tea as it puddles on the kitchen tile. Looking at the mess, then at his cousins, Severus feels his shoulders hunch around him as he reflects on how quickly the delight of the morning has turned to horror.

It's all his fault, too. In their first lifetime, Severus is certain this was the happiest day in both Sage and Aunt Vesta's lives since the passing of her husband and the boys' father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	38. Split: II

His mother doesn't improve. If anything, she withdraws even more. She rarely leaves her rooms. When she does, it's often when they are all away running errands or visiting mates or late in the night when they are sleeping. No one knows where she goes, nor does she say. Severus spends more time than he'll ever admit to just sitting in front of the doors to her room hoping that she'll come out or let him in.

On the rare occasion she does come out or allow him in, it's to tell him some scrap of information she's found about his father's murder or test out a new theory on a captive audience. She stares at him when she explains her conspiracies, fevered eyes searching, begging him to have some kind of reaction. Give her something that tells her someone other than her thinks she's found something important or thought of a plausible idea. Severus refuses. Some of the theories have more merit than others and the bits of clues she's tied together definitely say _something,_ but he doesn't care.

Tobias is dead and Severus is glad he's dead. _Glad_.

What he isn't happy about is his mother. He wishes she'd be the woman he once thought her. A brave one. One who bore undeserved suffering with silent strength and knew how to raise his spirits with a few words alone (" _You, my half-Prince, are meant for so much more than a life in Cokeworth._ "). But she's not that woman. Perhaps she never was. Severus is starting to doubt she ever will be (again).

Unfortunately for her, the amount of time he cares to spend waiting outside her rooms lessens as the summer draws on and Sirius's visit grows closer. Aunt Vesta has them preparing for the Black heir's extended stay. The guest room he'll be sleeping in is spruced up with new duvets and drapes, the hallways of their home are repainted, and the gardens made more lush and colorful than even the Malfoy's grounds. His cousin meticulously plans their meals, pestering Severus about Sirius's preferences and dislikes during the process.

While he is able to convince her that setting up a daily itinerary is unnecessary, he isn't able to stop her from planning a couple of trips away from the manor. On their fifth day in, she insists they will all go to Hogsmeade for ice cream and on their last, with Regulus in tow, visit a private art collection that belongs to an old friend of hers.

While Hogsmeade is certain to be a hit with Sirius, Severus fears for the last day with Regulus. Sirius has little class and is highly unlikely to enjoy or respect the art collection. He just hopes the boy doesn't manage to offend Aunt Vesta or her mate.

Severus sighs. Only time will tell what his week and a half holds with Sirius.

-o-O-o-

It's Sage that spies the trouble first. They, Severus, Sirius, and Sage, are leaning against the front of Fortescue's, licking their ice cream as Aunt Vesta pays inside. While Severus and Sirius are making dull and tired conversation (this year he should really work on expanding the boy's interests beyond Quidditch and Muggle rock bands) about the same topics they have for the past four days, Sage tenses on Severus's left.

He looks to his cousin, then to where he is staring. His eyes are following a few darkly clad wizards and a witch who are briskly moving in the direction of a gaggle of young men and women coming out of one of the nearby pubs. Severus counts one of the Prewett twins among the group and immediately understands.

"Damn it!" he hisses. Grabbing Sirius's and Sage's arms, he drags them down into a crouch near the ground just as curses and hexes begin to streak through the air. People around them scream and start to run in all directions.

Sirius, trying valiantly to pull out of Severus's hold to get a look at the commotion, demands, "What's happening!"

Severus says nothing as he continues to tug both boys to the entrance of the Fortescue's. The three of them inch towards the door little by little, only to find when they reach it that it's locked with some combination of spells that Severus can't undo despite his wealth of knowledge.

"Fuck this shite!" he shouts.

Sage gasps. Springing to his feet, his cousin throws himself over the top of him and Sirius before Severus can so much as react. The next few moments are a jumble as they go airborne, only to land in another heap a few meters away from the door of the ice cream parlor. His ears ringing, Severus struggles to get out of the pile and check over Sage and Sirius. He shakes his cousin by the shoulders, but the boy is out cold. As for Sirius, he's awake. Though he has a bone sticking out of his right arm and appears close to passing out from pain and shock. "It's okay, you're okay," he tells his friend. While Sirius does his best to keep calm, Severus uses a couple of spells he's learned during the wars he's lived through to immobilize Sirius's arm and stem the bleeding.

"Stay with Sage," he orders when finished.

Sirius tries to grab his robes with his good hand, but Severus brushes him off. "I have to check on those kids over there," he tells Sirius, pointing a short distance away from them where two little kids huddle in the mouth of an alleyway. They had been the first thing he saw when he extracted himself the pile the three of them made. However, since neither child looked like they were going to do something daft, like run into the battle, he'd chosen to check over Sirius and Sage first. Now that he knows they were more or less safe, Severus feels it is time to bring those kids to them so he can protect them along with Sage and Sirius if things get worse, rather than better.

"But you're bleeding!" Sirius cries, pointing at Severus's head.

He runs his hand over the general area which Sirius is pointing. He winces at not only the gaping wound he feels, but the knot around it. It's pretty bad, he thinks, but those kids there look hardly old enough to be walking around Hogsmeade without holding their parent's hand, let alone be on their own.

"'M fine," he insists, before lumbering off.

As he cautiously makes his way toward the children, he notices that the worst of the battle appears to be over. One of the darkly clad wizards is laid out in the street, and another, with the witch, are leaning heavily on each other as they fight with two men from the earlier group. Severus thinks one of the men fighting might be a Prewett, but he's bloody and dirty and he never really knew him all that well to begin with in either of his lifetimes.

Finally reaching the children, he falls to his knees in front of them and asks, "Are you two okay?"

The pair stares up at him under their mops of dark, curly hair. "Are _you_?" the larger of the two asks.

"Just _peachy_ ," he snarks.

The duo falls silent.

"Did you two get separated from your Mum or Dad?"

Hugging their sibling even tighter, the older whispers, "Uh-huh."

He offers them a scraped-up, dusty hand. "Come with me. I'll make sure you get back to them."

The younger begins to reach out, only for the older to slap their hand. The older of the pair then stare at Severus; big, brown eyes searing him with their intensity as they look for whatever it is they need to accept his help. Finally, the older nods. The little one takes his hand, and as he pulls them apart, Severus finally knows what they are. They are two little girls. 'Merlin,' he thinks, 'let's hope their mother or father didn't fall victim to an errant hex.'

He has them crouch low and get behind him. He links them all together by holding hands and creeps their group back to Sirius and Sage. Those fighting are slowing down and the hexes and curses flying through the air are much more controlled than before. Even so, one flies over their heads and in the direction they came from.

Finally reaching the boys, Severus lets go of the girls and says, "Sirius, watch them." He settles down next to Sage then, who, much to Severus's relief, appears to be stirring. Giving the boy's face a few gentle slaps, he calls, "Sage! Sage."

The boy blinks blearily up at him. "Sev?" he mumbles.

"Yeah," he replies in a gush of air.

Sage tries to sit up, but Severus pushes him back down. "You really should stay there," he advises. "They're still throwing some spells around."

He tries to nod, only to wince. Severus squeezes Sage's shoulder in sympathy.

"Aurors!" one of the little girls cry.

Severus looks toward where the battle occurred. There are now aurors swarming the area, assisting the few who were hurt in the initial attack, as others surround the one darkly dressed wizard who went down near the start of the fight. A couple more are interrogating the last of the group that one of the Prewett brothers was a part of. Only four of the gaggle remain.

Some more are spreading out, surveying the damage done to shops and eateries and talking with the bystanders that linger. One must have spotted them, as she's all but running to the five of them.

"Merlin!" she breathes as she comes to halt in front of Severus. It takes him a moment, but he recognizes her. She's Amelia Bones. Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in his first lifetime. Right now, though, Bones is just an auror and has one brother just graduated from Hogwarts and another who's still in school.

Severus says nothing as he feels the little girls place themselves on either side of him. "My cousin and friend need help," he tells her. "These girls too. They were separated from their parent during the mess."

Falling to her knees in front of them, Auror Bones starts to take stalk and asks, "What about you three? Were you here today with a parent or older sibling?"

"My mother…" Sage whispers. His eyes roll in Severus's direction. "D'you think she's okay?"

Severus agrees confidently, "Of course. Your mum is highly capable."

This draws a grin from Sage. "She is, isn't she?"

Auror Bones, who Severus can now see is quite young, probably a trainee, too, seems at a loss how to proceed. Severus internally sighs. This is likely her first time encountering something like this, something like _them_. A bit impatiently, he asks, "Don't you think you should be taking our names, or at least the girls'? Our parents have to be looking for us."

This seems to snap the young woman out of her stupor. "Right!" she agrees. Drawing out a pad of paper and a self-inking quill, she begins to ask them for their names, their parents' names, and descriptions of their parents as well.

As they talk with her, waiting for healers to arrive and whisk them away, Severus learns the little girls he rescued are named Gwendolyn and Hestia Jones. Ages seven and three. They, like Severus, Sage and Sirius, were in Hogsmeade to do a bit of shopping and get some ice cream. Unfortunately, the attack happened before they reached the parlor.

The last they saw their father, he was being swept away in the fleeing masses. The two of them barely made it to the alleyway without being trampled on and it was there they stayed until Severus retrieved them.

As they begin to give a description of Sage's mother, a healer comes up behind Auror Bones. He hisses loudly. Then, seeming to realize what a poor reaction that was, he says, "You lot are going to be just fine."

"We know that," Sirius snaps peevishly. "Severus stopped my arm's bleeding."

Auror Bones looks at Sirius, then at Severus. "I'll make a note of that," she promises him. "It's very good you had the quick thinking to do that, Mister Snape. I'll talk to my superiors and make sure you don't receive a letter about your use of magic while underage."

Severus nods. "Thank you, Auror Bones."

While they continue to answer the woman's question, the healer checks them all over and then waves over several of his colleagues. Severus mentally steals himself for what's to come. St. Mungo's is going to be a zoo, but there's no way they aren't going. Sirius needs help for his arm, Sage needs someone to check not only his head, but the rest of him too. And Severus hates to admit it, but his cut is going to need tending to as well.

Little Hestia attaches herself to Severus's arm when the healers that come over begin to levitate Sage and help Sirius to his feet. "Go with Sev," she pleads.

Auror Bones says, "Hestia…"

The girl begins to shriek. After a moment, Gwendolyn joins in.

Severus glares at the young woman. She relents. "Okay!" she shouts over the top of them. "Okay! We'll all go with the young men to St. Mungo's! We'll have your dad pick you up there!"

Both girls stop their crying and while she looks a little flustered, Auror Bones does an admirable job of calmly explaining, "We can all go, but when the healers are tending to Mister Snape and the other boys, we will be waiting in the lobby."

The children are all too happy to agree.

One of the healers, who look mildly irritated, says, "If this is settled, we really must be going now. These boys need to be looked at."

"Of course," Auror Bones agrees.

Not even a moment later, Severus feels the familiar pull at his navel when the healer at his side whisks them off to St. Mungo's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To any of you who may be interested in it, I have recently posted a One-Shot centering around Lily and Severus set in the canon universe. It's called "I Wish You Well (No More Bad Blood)".


	39. Split: III

A healer pokes her head into the room. "Ah, you're awake," she says, upon seeing Severus staring back at her. A small smile pulling at her lips, the healer, a pretty, freckle-faced blonde, tells him, "You have some wee visitors who'd like to see you before their papa takes them home."

Severus knows exactly who she's talking about. He's also relieved to hear that the Jones girls' father has been found. Quietly, he calls, "Make sure they know to keep their voices soft. Sage is resting."

And how glad he is that his cousin is resting. When they first arrived, the healers who first tended to them had feared they'd need to do much more than vanish a couple of Sage's ribs and regrow them. Thankfully, after a few diagnostic spells, they found neither of his lungs had been punctured in the blast that flung them down the street from Fortescue's. Of course, you'd think the case had been the later with the way Aunt Vesta carried on when they located her and brought her to St. Mungo's to be reunited with Severus, Sage, and Sirius.

Thankfully, right now, she's gone dealing with Walburga and Orion, who were far from pleased to hear what happened to their son under Aunt Vesta's watch. What they think she could have done to protect Sirius, Severus doesn't know. It's not like there was any forewarning before the attack happened. Severus isn't too worried, however. Sirius went with his parents and Aunt Vesta. He's sure Sirius'll defend Severus's cousin.

What effect that will have on if he comes back with them to the Montague Estate or not, he's unsure. Severus suspects, though, Sirius's obstinance will do him well in the row, as will the setting of it (St. Mungo's). The last things the Blacks will want to do is make a scene in a hospital waiting room.

Smiling wider, the healer replies, "Of course."

A moment later a slightly overweight man with the same dark curly hair as the girls walks in with Gwendolyn and Hestia hanging off either arm. The children attempt to run to him, but their father holds firm and chides, "We walk inside hospitals, girls."

Taking their scolding with identical pouts, the two walk instead with their father to Severus's bed.

"Up! Up, Papa! Up!" Hestia whines.

The Jones man looks to Severus, who nods, letting him know he doesn't mind Hestia joining him. He lifts his daughter, "Sit nicely on the edge, now."

Hestia completely ignores her father and crawls right over to Severus's side, where she wedges herself under his arm. Severus rolls his eyes good-naturedly and teases, "Comfortable?"

"Mh-hmm!" she says, not realizing the question was asked in jest.

"Papa, can I sit on the bed too?" Gwendolyn begs.

The man sighs in exasperation. "If Mister Snape doesn't mind."

"I don't."

With a little help from her father, Gwendolyn is on the bed, feet hanging over the edge. For a few minutes, he just talks with the girls. Asking them what they did while he was being fixed up by the Healers and when their father came for them. They are more than happy to answer and then some. After about ten minutes of being talked at by the children, the Jones man clears his throat. "Girls," he says, "I think you've yakked off Mister Snape's ear long enough. Your mother is waiting for us at home with your favorites for dinner."

"Aww, Papa!" complains Gwendolyn.

Staying firm, he reaches over and plucks Hestia from Severus and points at the floor, insisting Gwendolyn hop down. Unhappily, the seven-year-old does so. Retaking the older girl's hand, he turns his attention back to Severus and says, "Thank you for what you did today, Mister Snape. I'm glad my girls had you." Looking towards the open doorway, he adds, "I gave my address to your cousin. You don't have to, but if you want to write myself or my wife, we'd love to set up a visit for tea with you and your family."

Severus nods. He really isn't interested in tea with the Jones family, but it would be extremely rude to say so. Since Mister Jones likely told Aunt Vesta what he wanted to do as well, Severus's certain they will be having tea sooner rather than later anyway.

"You're welcome, sir."

-o-O-o-

"Where is my son?" yells an all too familiar voice outside his and Sage's private room.

"Eileen–"

Even louder than before, his mother demands, " _Where_ , Vesta!"

Severus sits up and peers around the curtain pulled halfway around his bed. "Mum?" he calls out.

In a flash, his mother is in the room. In the next moment, the curtain is shoved aside by a bony hand. "Severus!" his mother cries.

"Mum," he returns meekly. He's not entirely sure how to take her appearance. After weeks of all but being ignored, it's almost hard to believe his mother came here of her own volition. Surely, however, Aunt Vesta wouldn't use an imperius on Mum to make her come. Severus would never appreciate such a thing. Isn't sure he appreciates having her here even it _is_ her choice. There's something wild about her eyes and the last thing he wants is for this commotion she's making to wake Sage. He needs to get a full evening and night's rest so he can come back to the estate tomorrow rather than a couple of days from now.

She sits down on the edge of his bed and cradles his face in her cold hands. She gently rotates it as she studies the bandage wrapped around his head. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No."

Her hands fall away from his face, but do not stay by her side long. A moment later, she is sitting nearly hip to hip with him, one hand wrapped around his. "Your aunt says you and Sage were hurt in an attack on Hogsmeade."

"Yes, that's right. Some wizards and a witch started a fight with a group coming out of a pub," he tells her.

"Did you recognize any of the wizards or the witch who started the fight?"

Severus frowns. He had not recognized any of them. But he'd only gotten a glimpse of the group before he decided to get Sage and Sirius to safety mattered more. Even so, he knew they were a prototype group of Death Eaters. Soon enough they'd be wearing masks, hiding marks on their arms, and shooting off insignias in the sky to tell wizards and witches that they are responsible for the destruction before they vanish. "No."

His mother sighs. "I wish you did. They deserve Azkaban for what they did to you and the other boys."

He doesn't disagree. Azkaban would certainly be a good place for them and would cut down on the number of Voldemort's soldiers. "They've got one. He's dead, I think?" Severus looks to Aunt Vesta, who hovers close behind his mother, eyes occasionally drifting to where Sage sleeps in a bed across from them.

Realizing he's addressing her, she nods. "Yes, that's what Auror Bones told me."

"I don't suppose they gave his name?" Mum asks.

Their cousin shakes her head. "No."

"I reckon we'll find out when the investigation is finished," Severus says. "If not from her, from an obituary in the _Daily Prophet_."

Both women murmur their agreement. Then Mum reaches out and runs a hand through his hair. Eyes softer and warmer than they have been in years, she says, "I'm relieved you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you too."

Severus is both touched and disappointed. They are the kindest words his mother has said to him in the longest time. The closest thing to "I love you" that's tumbled from her lips since he was a small child. Yet she is still thinking of his father. The man who hurt her. him. _Them._ Feels his death is a loss when it is a relief he's gone. No matter how frustrated he is to have his father brought up in this moment, Severus is pleased.

His mother is here and she is happy to be with him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	40. Split: IV

Sirius flounces into his and Sage's hospital room. A look of self-satisfaction is on his face as he takes a seat beside Severus on his bed. His mother's gone for the moment, having left to go to Honeydukes to buy him some Mr. Spindle's Lick "O" Rish Spiders and for Sage, a pound of Sugar Quills. As for Aunt Vesta, she left them a few minutes ago when Orion Black darkened the doorway of their room. Evidently, things with him must be coming to close since Sirius was allowed to come in.

Glancing between Sirius and the still sleeping Sage meaningfully, Severus question in little more than a whisper, "Why do you look like a kneazle the got the cream?"

"I'll be going home with you tomorrow morning! Even better, though, Regulus still gets to join us on the last day of my stay with you!" informs him joyfully.

"Your parents are not only letting you continue your stay with my family, but are _still_ allowing Regulus to visit as well? How did you manage that? When they arrived, your father looked like it was taking all of his restraint not to pull out his wand and Avada Kedavra Aunt Vesta right there."

Sirius grins. "In front of a couple of healers, I loudly said, 'It's not like she knew the attack was going to happen. I'm sure she feels poorly enough as it already. _Blaming_ Mrs. Montague for my getting hurt when her son and Severus _also_ got hurt seems quite cruel." Cackling, he adds, "The healers looked at my parents like they were ghouls!"

Severus smirks a little himself. He's sure Sirius's parents were horrified to have received such looks. As much as they don't mind showing their bigotry towards anyone with "dirty" blood and Muggles, even in public, having their son call them out for speaking badly of a fellow well-to-do Pureblood from a respectable family undoubtedly upset them.

Evidently pleased with his smirk, Sirius continues, "My punishment for my 'baseless accusations' is they're sending me to stay with Aunt Lucretia and Uncle Ignatius while they and Regulus go on Holiday to France at the start of August." Voice chipper, he explains, "Just because they think Uncle Ignatius is a bore doesn't mean _I_ hate seeing them too. In fact, I like visiting them. Aunt Lucretia's hobby is baking, so it'll be almost two weeks worth of biscuits and cakes for me!"

As his mate babbles on, Severus nods appropriately and waits for him to stop describing what visits with his aunt and uncle are like. Finally, when he peters out on things to say about the couple, Severus asks, "They're related to Fabian and Gideon Prewett, aren't they?"

Sirius frowns. "Yes?"

"How well do you know them?"

The boy furrows his brows. "A bit. I didn't see too much of them before Hogwarts. They were nice enough when I was sorted into Gryffindor; told me if I needed help with anything, to just let them know. They were pretty busy with their own stuff most of the time, though. We're… friendly? Yeah, we're friendly. Not close." Sirius then narrows his eyes suspiciously and asks, "Why?"

He hesitates. Is it right to tell Sirius he saw one of his cousins fighting the wizards and witch who attacked Hogsmeade? He doesn't think the Prewett twins will appreciate being pestered by a fourteen-year-old boy about one of their parts in the attack. Then again… He's likely to find out when visiting his aunt and uncle later. "I saw one of them during the attack," Severus tells the boy. "I don't know which one, but they were fighting the wizards and witch who attacked Hogsmeade."

Eyes blown wide, Sirius whispers, "Wow. I knew they were brave – even for Gryffindors – but that's something else!"

"Don't bother them about it too much, okay? They might not want to, or not be able to talk a lot about it yet."

He nods. "Yeah, of course." Grinning, he says, "It's pretty wicked, though, right?"

Severus sighs and rolls his eyes. "Yes, bloody wicked." Quietly, however, he thinks, 'Dear Merlin, help us all. There's hero-worship in his eyes."

-o-O-o-

As Severus is packing his trunk for both his stay with Boyd and for Hogwarts, his mother lets herself into his room. He puts down the slacks he's in the process of folding to huff at her, "Mum, you're supposed to knock."

Her lips lift in an unrepentant smile. "I'll remember that for next time," she says.

Rolling his eyes, he returns to folding. As she continues to stand there, just watching him, he asks, "Was there something you wanted, Mum?"

"Vesta says you and Sage won't be coming back to stay before the start of the school year."

He nods and moves onto picking robes out of his wardrobe. "That's right."

"Severus…"

Turning his back to his mother, he pulls out a couple of gray robes along with his ones for school. He fingers the fabric. He wonders if they'll be too short now. He's grown several centimeters this past couple of months. Perhaps he'll have to have a word with Aunt Vesta. She'll be all too happy to set up an appointment with a tailor to have new robes made for him (because helping Severus just let out his current ones would be absolutely blasphemous in her eyes).

Pulling on one of his school robes, Severus walks over to his full-length mirror and inspects himself. It's a bit short in the arms now. His wrists stick out awkwardly from his sleeves. He glances at the reflection of his mother in the mirror. "What is it, Mum?"

"You'll be as tall as your father was soon," she murmurs.

He pulls off his school robe and tosses it aside. "I don't know about that," he replies. Perhaps it's thanks to a poor childhood diet, or simply that Severus takes after his paternal grandmother (who Dad once described as a tiny, fierce woman during a calm period in his youth), but he never quite reached his father's height in his first lifetime. Oh, he stopped being the looming figure Severus remembers from his childhood before Hogwarts eventually, but he never got one over his dad in that way. Severus was always just shy of his father's even six feet (and will be again, he suspects).

"You take a lot after him, I'm sure you will," his mother assures.

This only draws a deeper frown from him. The less like his father he is the better, as far as Severus is concerned.

His mother sighs. "Do you really need to stay with Boyd for the rest of the summer? It would be lovely if we could do something that's just the two of us for a long weekend. I've heard Ilfracombe is a nice place to holiday."

Reluctantly, he says, "Just a weekend?"

"Yes," she answers, shoulders relaxing. "I'd like to spend some time with you. You're growing up so quickly. I feel like I hardly know anything about you these days."

He nods. "I need to think about it a little more. Can we talk more about this when I come back on Wednesday to have tea with the Jones family?"

Mum smiles. "Yes, that's just fine," she agrees. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she stands on her toes and presses a kiss to the top of his head. "I know things have been difficult this past couple of years. Possibly downright unbearable these past few months, but you're my son, Severus. I want to be a part of your life." She pets his cheek with the back of her hand before she steps away and heads for the door. "I'll see you in the morning," she concludes before letting herself out.

After he's sure she's gone and not going to pop back in, Severus walks over to his bed and falls into it. He's not felt this much turmoil in a long time. While going on holiday with his mother feels like a wonderful idea, the fact it will be a just the two of them alone sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

His mum has shown a consistent improvement in behavior this last week and a half by coming out of her room for meals and making polite conversation with not only him, but Aunt Vesta, Sage, and Sirius. She showed this improvement even more significantly when she joined Severus and the boys in flying around the house for an hour. Severus had been surprised, but pleased that she chose to spend time with him (and the boys). Sirius had certainly thought she was pretty wicked when she performed a double loop in front of them. The grins he and she shared afterward as Sirius and Sage cheered had definitely made it his favorite moment of Sirius's stay with them.

Yet as amazing as this past week in a half has been with her, it's too early to tell if it's a permanent change. Her mention of Dad just a few minutes ago especially makes him wonder if she's already sliding back into her obsession with finding his murderer. What if while they are on holiday she starts talking about Dad and who his bloody murderer might be again and never stops? Mum'll drive him mad.

While she's been more discreet about it as of late, he knows she still leaves for places no one but her knows the name of. Dad's murder is on her mind and he imagines it always will be as long as it remains unsolved. Even if they go on holiday, she's not going to be able to let it all go for Severus. Probably couldn't even if she wanted to, either.

Reaching over to his bedside table, Severus pulls out parchment and a self-inking quill. He needs to write Lily. Another perspective on the matter of a holiday with his mother is just what he needs to decide. It takes a while, but when he's finished writing, he feels confident that he's explained his reservations and hopes well enough that Lily will be able to help him decide if it's a good idea to go on holiday or not.

Severus then finds a robe and leaves his room to head for the owlery behind the estate. As he rounds the corner by the stairs, he runs right into Sage. He manages to catch himself on the wall as his cousin falls on his bum.

"Sorry," he says, offering the boy a hand.

Sage grabs it and lets Severus help him up. "I shoulda been paying better attention too," he replies.

They stare at each other for a moment, both just a little suspicious about seeing one another walking around the manor so late in the evening. Finally, Severus asks, "What are you doing?"

"I was getting a snack in the kitchen," he answers. "You?"

He holds up his letter. "Sending a letter off to Lily."

"This late at night?"

Severus shrugs. "I really need a second opinion as soon as possible."

Sage cocks his head questioningly. "On what?"

"…Mum wants me to go on a weekend holiday with her before we go back to Hogwarts."

Something sparks in his cousin's gaze. "Do you think my mum knows she wants to take you away?"

"Maybe," he answers. Though, the actual answer is probably not. Likely won't until the day they leave, even.

Sage shifts uneasily. "She's been nicer lately, but…"

He claps a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "What you've seen is nothing, Sage. Even now, compared to who my dad was, she's a saint."

"That doesn't make it better," the boy says, shaking off Severus's hand. "In case you forgot, she abandoned you."

He stiffens. "No, she didn't. Your mum left her with no choice."

"She did too! Your mum could have come with." Sage frowns at him, anger and obstinance mingling together in his eyes. "Even if you don't want to call it that, that's what she did. She _abandoned_ you like a dog that became too much work to care for!"

Upset and defensive, Severus snaps, "Belt up, Sage. You don't know what you're talking about. It's not that straightforward!"

"I know better than you what it's like not to be reason enough for a parent to stick around!" he yells back.

Severus falls quiet for a moment. "What do you mean?" he finally questions, not entirely sure he's going to like the answer he receives.

Shaking a little, Sage averts his eyes and says, "I mean I know what it's like not to be enough. My dad killed himself. He decided, even with me right there in front of him as he was dying, that he'd rather be dead than live for me. All he had to do was say, 'Sage go get help.' If he had, he might still be alive right now." Wiping at his eyes, Severus's cousin sobs, "But he didn't."

Looking at him with wet, soulful eyes, he tells Severus, "I wasn't enough to make him want to live. I've thought it was my fault for a long time that Dad's dead. I should have called for Topper when I saw there was something off about my father, but I didn't. I'm always going to regret that. But since you've become my mate, my cousin, my _brother…_ I've realized just because I wasn't a good enough reason for my dad to stay, it doesn't mean I'm worthless or bad.

"I know that because _you're_ not worthless or bad either. You weren't enough to make your mum want to leave your father and you're so _great._ If your mum could still pick someone as awful as your dad over you, that has to mean it's because there's something wrong with _her_. I know I'm not half as brilliant as you are, but you act like I'm worth something. So I've started to think my father was sort of like your mother. There had to be something wrong with him to pick death over me, over Mother, and over Boyd. It's not me that was the problem. It was him.

"It's the same here, Severus. You're not the problem, _she's_ the problem. You shouldn't even think about going on holiday with her unless she apologizes for abandoning you first. If you just go with her, she'll think it's okay and might do it again too."

Severus is too stunned to speak. Doesn't know what he'd say even if he could. So, he just tears his letter to Lily in half and drops it on the floor.

"You should go back to bed, Severus," Sage advises. "I'll tell Topper to clean that up."

He listens to his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	41. Split: V

"Sev!" delightedly calls Hestia when she sees him step out into the Montague's back garden.

Aunt Vesta, who stands shoulder to shoulder with him, jabs her elbow sharply into his ribs when he does not reply immediately to the child's greeting. Instead of glaring at the woman, or rolling his eyes, Severus steps out of reach of her elbows and hurries ahead to the Jones family.

"Hello, Hestia and Gwendolyn," he says when he's within an arm's span of the girls.

Both offer enormous grins. Then, with a speed that could rival some Quidditch chasers, Gwendolyn grabs his hand and pulls him over to the empty seat beside the chair he saw her sitting in when he first came outside. "Sit down! Your elf brought out banoffee pie when he last popped by!"

Letting himself be dragged over to the table, Severus takes a seat. He can't say he's all that surprised when Hestia promptly places herself in his lap just as he finishes settling in.

"Hestia!" the little girl's mother hisses. "It's not polite to sit on someone's lap without asking!"

Turning large, doe-eyes on him, Hestia asks, "Can I sit on your lap?"

Severus sighs. "Yes, you can sit on my lap," he agrees. Telling her no at this point will just make him look like an arse. Possibly earn him a scolding later from Aunt Vesta too. She does so hate it when he acts ill-mannered towards company.

A moment later, after Aunt Vesta joins them, Severus feels a tug on his sleeve. He looks to see Gwendolyn staring at him. "Yes?" he asks.

"Your house is very nice. It's bigger n' prettier than any other house I've ever been to," she informs quite matter of factly.

He doesn't quite know what to say. While he's slowly beginning to think of the Montague Estate as something close to a home for him, it's still more Aunt Vesta's and Sage's than it is his.

"Thank you," Aunt Vesta says for Severus, shooting a look of disapproval his way as she does so.

Gwendolyn smiles at the Montague woman before she returns her attention to Severus once more. For several minutes, she natters on about this and that, how much she likes flowers in the front of the estate, about how her grandmother's cottage has some of the same flowers, which leads into talking about a little boy that lives nearby her grandmother's and how the two of them play knights together with his dog, who acts as the dragon that they slay to save Princess Hestia.

All the while, Hestia makes a mess of herself eating banoffee pie as her parents and Aunt Vesta have an "adult" conversation. Finally, Severus takes advantage of a pause in Gwendolyn's chatter to say, "It sounds like you'll be in Gryffindor." Which is true. Some of the things she's saying about what she does at her grandmother's with the little neighbor boy makes Severus believe she's destined for a job working with some dangerous beast, like manticores, or being a Hit Witch.

"No!" Hestia exclaims. "Gwendolyn's Hufflepuff like Papa!"

Severus winces at the shrillness of the younger girl's shout in his ear. "Why's that? What about your mum? Was she Hufflepuff too?"

"Mummy didn't go to Hogwarts," Gwendolyn informs him. "She's a squib."

He blinks at the child, who's expression has turned startlingly defensive. "That's… Interesting," he finally settles on. Then, returning to the issue of houses, he tells the girls, "Just 'cause your papa is Hufflepuff doesn't mean you have to be as well. My mate Sirius is a Gryffindor even though the rest of his family's Slytherin."

Gwendolyn looks smug as Hestia pouts. "Daddy's house the best still," the little Jones girl grumbles.

Severus snorts. "I have to say I respectfully disagree."

The clearing of a throat draws his and the girls' attention to the adults.

"Yes?" he says politely.

Mr. Jones and Mrs. Jones exchange a look. Then Mr. Jones says, "I know I said this before, but I want to thank you again for what you did on that day in Hogsmeade. Recently, while talking to a coworker that was there that day, he told me he saw you bring the girls to safety from a shop window close by. He says after you got them out of the alley, a spell hit the spot where Gwendolyn and Hestia had been crouching together. While we can't know what that spell was for certain, my coworker did say it was green." The man puts a broad hand over his heart. "I've told myself again and again that chances are it was just a nasty hex, but… On the off chance it was _much_ worse than a hex, I wanted to reiterate how very grateful myself," he reaches for his wife's hand, giving it a strong squeeze as he does so, "and my wife are for what you did that day."

He's quiet for a moment, simply absorbing the fact one of these girls could be dead right now if not for him. Wracking his brain for memories of the Jones girls (and family) in his first lifetime, he comes to realize he only ever knew Hestia. And only superficially at that. He'd taught her in potions from her second or third year until she graduated. She'd not been a terribly remarkable or memorable student, but she'd done better than most in his class.

Gwendolyn is four years older than her. While she may have opted out of potions during her final years of schooling, surely Severus would have at least seen her in passing in the corridors? Or caught her snogging a boyfriend in a broom closet? Perhaps seen her playing for Gryffindor's Quidditch team? Even more likely than any of those other scenarios, overhead her younger sister mention her at some point while talking to mates in his class (he's beginning to remember the Hestia of his lifetime a bit better now. She'd been a chatty one on top of being fairly competent at potions).

As hard as he searches, Severus can find no memory of Gwendolyn. He'll ask Lily if she remembers a Gwendolyn Jones at all in a letter later, but he already suspects the worst. In their first lifetime, the older Jones girl died in that attack on Hogsmeade. Gwendolyn never got to grow up and become any of the things he's already envisioning for her future.

Meeting first Mr. Jones, then Mrs. Jones gaze, he nods. "You're very welcome," he tells them.

-o-O-o-

After saying his goodbyes to the Jones family and promising the girls to write them when possible, he goes to see his mother. Reaching the door to her room, he knocks.

"Come in," calls a slightly muffled voice from inside.

Severus takes a deep breath and opens the door. It doesn't take him long to spot her sitting on the sofa by the fireplace. "'Lo, Mum," he greets.

His mother smiles at him. "How was tea?"

"Fine."

She gestures for him to come take a seat beside him on the sofa. Reluctantly he does so. Expression expecting, his mother asks, "Have you given any more thought on taking a holiday?"

"I have," he answers.

His mother purses her lips. "Severus."

"Mum, I love you," he starts, giving her his best beseeching look, he goes on, "and I want to spend time with you…"

Her face flickers with confusion. "So do I," she replies with a small frown.

Stealing himself for what's to come, Severus whispers, "But I need something from you first."

"What?" she asks, leaning in, searching his face and body for any sign of what he could need from her.

Meeting her gaze head on, he tells Mum, "An apology for when you abandoned me."

She reels back as if stupefied. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about? I _never_ abandoned you!" she argues.

"Then what would you call your giving me to Aunt Vesta like an unwanted puppy?" Severus demands, crossing his arms.

Getting to her feet, his mother cries, "She left me with no choice! It was hand you over or have you taken from me!" Leaning in, so she is nearly nose-to-nose with Severus, Mum hisses, "Did she ever tell you that? That if I didn't hand you over she'd have sent aurors to _rip_ you away from me?"

"I was there, you know," he snipes back, refusing to be intimidated.

"What?" she gasps. "No, you weren't! I told you to go out to see Lily."

"I didn't," he replies shortly, "I ran around back and scaled the garden wall to listen in from the yard."

His mother falls back and makes a disdainful sound. "Why am I not surprised?" she sneers. "You've always been an unruly one. Even as a toddler you wouldn't listen to me when I told you not to touch the hot stove, or to run up or down the stairs. You always had to hurt yourself to learn that I know best."

Indignation welling in his chest, Severus clenches his hands tightly into his arms and bites, "Do you really think you know best? Even now? After everything?"

She falls quiet for a moment, a look of true reflection on her face. "No, I suppose I can't," she answers. Eyebrows drooping with sorrow, she admits, "I had thought your willfulness would have your aunt return you before the summer's end. Or that you'd find your way back on your own." A half-amused smile on her face, she remarks, "Vesta has a tendency to stifle."

Unimpressed, Severus scowls. "She may be overbearing, but I've never had to question her intentions. Aunt Vesta has made it clear time and time again that all she wants is what is best for me, even if our ideas on what is "best" do not align."

"I sense you're trying to get at something here?" Mum demands.

He sighs. "Mum, you abandoned–"

"–I didn't–" she begins to argue.

Raising his voice to a roar, he says over the top of his mother, "–Yes, _abandoned_! You abandoned me for Dad! Dad hurt us more times than I can count and yet you chose him over me!"

As he regains his breath, she glares at him. He stares right back. Finally, Mum says, "He was my husband."

Severus scoffs. "Yeah, well, you're my mum." Quieter, he tells his mother, "I needed you. I needed you to pick me, to stand up for me, to be there for me. But you weren't!" In little more than a whisper, he finishes, "Sometimes, it feels like you never were either!"

"Severus…" she murmurs.

Running a shaky hand through his hair, Severus says, "Look, I'm willing to put this all behind us. I just– Can't you say you're sorry? Sorry that you picked an arsehole over your own goddamn son?"

His mother just shakes her head. "I loved your father. I love you too. You're so young now, but someday you'll understand. I _vowed_ to stand by him. I will not apologize for keeping my promise."

The pit that he's felt growing in his gut all day unfurling into a tree that fills up his whole stomach, branches tickling his innards, and leaves clogging his throat, Severus chokes, "It's time I get going. I promised Sage and Boyd I would be back half an hour ago. Boyd is taking us to visit with the Parkinsons in a quarter of an hour."

This appears to startle his mother. "Oh," she mumbles. Then, leaning in, she plants a dry kiss to his brow. "Goodbye, Severus. Should I send you a letter when I book a room for our holiday?"

Shoulders sagging with defeat, Severus only shakes his head. "No, I don't think a holiday just the two of us is a good idea right now. I'll write you in a couple of days about setting up a date to shop for things I need this year at Hogwarts."

Stiffly, she smiles. "Of course," she says as she watches him leave the room.

-O-

"There you are! We're leaving in ten minutes!" Boyd cries upon seeing him step out of the floo.

Trudging past his cousin, Severus tells him, "I'm not going."

"What!" Boyd cries in dismay. "I promised Violet's parents I'd bring both you and Sage for them to meet!"

He scowls at his cousin. "I don't care."

As Boyd begins to turn red and bluster, Sage comes out of their shared room. "Did things not go well with your mum? he asks, eyes sad and concerned.

Severus says nothing, instead opting to avert his gaze and brush past his brother on the way into their room.

Quietly, he hears Boyd ask Sage, "What happened between him and Aunt Eileen?"

"…He wanted her to apologize for just letting Mother take him without a fight."

"Shit. Look, I'll tell the Parkinsons's you caught something from when you were at St. Mungo's last week. Stay here with Severus and help him, alright?"

"Sure."

"Firecall me if you need _anything_."

"Yes, Boyd. Hurry up. You don't want the Parkinsons to be upset with you if you're late."

"Bye, kid."

"See you later."

A few moments later, the sound of shuffling feet makes Severus look up from where he's laid out on the guest room's bed. "Yes?" he asks.

"Is there anything I can do?" Sage questions.

He's quiet for a moment. There really isn't. Nothing but time is going to cause the aching wound his mother left on his heart to scab over. And even then, it may never fully heal. Even so, he puts that aside in favor of making Sage feel helpful. "Just sit with me, I guess," says Severus.

Sage nods and comes over to Severus's side. Gingerly, he sits down on the bed. After a few minutes of silence, he lays a hand on Severus's back. "You probably don't want me to talk right now, but I just have one thing I need you to know. If everyone else turns their backs on you, you'll still have me. No matter what."

Severus shifts his head to look up at his brother's doleful countenance. "Is that what Boyd told you when your dad died?"

"Yes, actually," replies Sage after a blink of surprise.

He laughs a little and scoots a little closer to the other boy. "For all its banality, I believe you. I believe Boyd was sincere when he said it to you too."

Sage smirks a little. "Thank Merlin. Here I was worried I'd have to beat it through your surprisingly thick head."

Severus grins back. He's still gutted about his mother, but at least he knows he's not alone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	42. Split:VI

With the time for back-to-Hogwarts shopping upon them, Severus has set up a day, time, and point of meeting with Lily in Diagon Alley. It's Aunt Vesta who is taking him and Sage to shop, however. Boyd is working today and doesn't have time to take them. As for his mother… She disappeared shortly before he and Lily settled on a date last week. Oh, she left a letter promising to be back in time to see Severus and Sage off to Hogwarts, but, until then, it's like she never came back into his life at all.

He thinks he should be upset by this knowledge, but all he feels is hollowness. He's so used to the pain she inflicts on him that he is numb. The thought makes him shift uncomfortably in the chair where he waits for Sage to finish brushing his hair in the loo. He's not felt such a numbness since the war. Since his last dealings with likes of the Carrows, of  _Voldemort_. Forcibly shoving the thought to the back of his mind, he imagines a chest and locks the notion inside and uses legilimency to shield his mind from the traitorous thought.

His mother is being poorly behaved. She is not a sadistic sociopath or psychopath. She knows love (as warped and unnatural as some parts of it are), happiness, and morals. To compare her to Death Eaters and Voldemort is just  _evil_.

"I'm ready," says Sage, walking out of the loo.

Severus all but leaps to his feet. "Come on then," he replies. "Your mother might come here if we leave her waiting too long."

-o-O-o-

He spots Lily first. It really hasn't been all that long since he last saw her. Just shy of three weeks. Even so, he notices the compilation of summer changes in her appearance all the same. Much like himself, she's grown taller these past few month. Though, not as much as himself (as should be expected). Her previously, slim, girlish figure has begun to gain curves that it previously lacked and her chin looks more pointed than he last recalls. Lily looks much more like a woman than she does a child these days.

Partly out of jealousy, but mostly protective instincts, he looks around to see if there is anyone else staring at her. He spies a couple of gangly teens glancing in her direction, but they have yet to approach. Likely, they are working up the courage to chat Lily up. Frowning severely at the thought, he gives Sage a jab in the side and says, "There's Lily."

He looks away from whatever it was that had captured his attention and to where Severus is pointing. "So she is," he murmurs.

"Come on."

They approach speedily, dodging groups who clog the street talking or families looking confusedly at lists for Hogwarts. Once or twice, they pull each other out of the way of purposefully walking old men or little children who are not watching where they are going. Finally, when they are less than a yard away from Lily, she sees them.

"Severus!" she shouts. Oblivious to all else, she runs to meet them and throws her arms around him. "I know it hasn't been so long, but oooh! I missed you!"

While he wraps an arm around her to return the embrace, he looks over her head to the teenagers he'd spotted previously. Their expressions are a mixture of glum frustration. Severus smirks. They know now that Lily is not going to give them the time of day.

When she lets him go, she turns to Sage. "Hiya, sage. How are you?" she asks.

"Well, thank you," he replies, dipping his head in acknowledgment for the question.

She rolls her eyes and pulls him into a short, gentle hug. "Come on, Sage. We're mates, aren't we?"

His brother looks at him, eyebrows raised.

Severus grins widely at Sage. While they only spend a fraction of the same amount of time together as he and Lily do, Sage should know Lily well enough by now to know denying her this is tantamount to giving a challenge. If he doesn't agree, Lily  _will_ find a way to make it so or prove that they are in fact mates.

"Yes, I suppose we are," answers the boy with a sigh.

Lily laughs as she pulls away.

"Where's your family?" Severus asks, looking around for Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans and Petunia.

A sheepishness comes to her countenance. "Ah, I hope you don't mind, but when I told James I was going to meet up with you two for back-to-school shopping, he asked for the day and if Petunia was going to come. I didn't think it right to lie. 'Tuney quite likes him."

He rolls his eyes. But, really, it's just a minor irritation. Not enough to ruin the day (it's odd, but in their first lifetime it  _would_ have been). "It's fine."

"So where are they?" questions Sage, craning his neck to look around the extremely busy street.

Lily looks down the Diagon a little to the left. "Menagerie's. James wanted to show 'Tuney the baby nifflers they have for sale." Then, with a slightly disparaging tone, she remarks, "And Mum and Dad couldn't possibly let them go  _alone_."

"Don't trust him, do they?" Severus asks.

She shrugs. "He is a bit reckless. And I think my parents were worried he'd let her get too close to some of the less friendly creatures in the shop if they weren't there to supervise."

Severus nods. "That does sound like something he would do."

Sage shoots him a confused look. "It does? How much time do you spend with James? You've never even invited him to our study group once, unlike that Peter lad he hangs out with, and the scarred that one time when he just couldn't wrap his head around a Transfiguration problem."

While Lily looks like a victim of a  _Petrificus Totalus_ , Severus smoothly says, "Lily talks about him quite frequently."

His brother's expression is still quite dubious, but he nods.

"Where's your Aunt Vesta?" Lily inquires an awkward moment of silence later.

"She's in Madam Primernelle's."

She begins to shuffle in place. "Is she joining us while we shop? No offense to either of you, but I know she's not a big fan of Muggles. I'd rather her not accidentally hurt my families feelings or something."

Or something is right, Severus thinks grimly. There will be no accidents on Aunt Vesta's part. If she wants to make her distaste shown, she will. Be damn the fact he and Lily are friends. Surprisingly, however, Sage is the one to put her fears to rest. "She gave me all the money for stuff," he replies. An apologetic look on his face, he explains, "I'm not supposed to say this, but we have unofficially tricked her into believing we are meeting up with wizards and witches of proper stock to shop with. We're going to meet back up with her at the pub at five." Looking down at his feet, he mumbles, "That way, if anyone sees us, she can feign ignorance and blame my presence with you on Severus and his muddy no good Muggle father's influence and blood."

He grits his teeth. "Everything's always appearance with her, isn't it?" Severus can't say he's really surprised, but it still stings a little to know he's a scapegoat for any and all of Sage's "bad" choices and behavior.

"I'm sorry," whispers his brother.

Severus gives his shoulder a squeeze. "It's not your fault. I know you're better than that."

Sage looks up, eyes cloudy with some sort of conflict as he smiles. "Yeah," he replies.

-O-

The three of them are exchanging increasingly exaggerated looks of exasperation as James starts in on a new joke.

"All you have to know for this one is that Malfoys are all Slytherins and Slytherins's mascot is a snake," he explains to a flush-cheeked, but rapt Petunia. With a devious grin, he asks, "How do Malfoys enter buildings?"

Lily's sister looks their way. Severus and Sage quickly school their features into bored masks as Lily only shakes her head at 'Tuney. Returning her attention to James, she asks, "How?"

"They Slyther-in!" he cries. Then, looking at them all, he asks, "Get it? Snakes slither and so do they!"

Petunia giggles, but Sage only sighs as Lily bites her lip. Severus can't really say he's all that impressed with the joke either. Then again, this was the twentieth or so James has told in the last hour. He  _really_ must be digging in the dredges of his tiny brain to be remembering these.

-O-

While Lily's parents are paying for her new quills for the year, the rest of them poke around and investigate the displays set up in Amanuensis Quill's just for the back-to-Hogwarts season. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus sees Petunia stroke a pheasant-feather quill admiringly. He briefly wonders if she has any at home. Probably not, he thinks. It's not like Muggles use them.

James abruptly pops up beside the teenager. "Do you like it? I can buy that for you. My family's rich."

Petunia startles and pulls her hand away. "No, it's quite alright…"

Ignoring her completely, James plucks the quill from its display and smiles blindingly at her. "Everyone can use at least one quill. Even if it's just for decoration in the end."

Severus leans over the display of sharpeners he's been browsing to whisper to Lily, "He's not very subtle, is he?"

"Has he ever been?" she returns. "He spent a good three years chasing me. Giving me things, flirting – badly – with me, and doing all kinds of stunts to just get my attention so I'd go on  _at least_  one date with him."

Wisely, Severus pulls away. Lily is starting to sound a little snippy. Evidently, the goodwill that caused her to invite James along on their shopping trip is beginning to wear off.

-O-

As James says goodbye to Petunia a little ways away, Lily, who stands beside Severus, with her arms crossed mutters, "Remind me to never invite James along on an trips into the Magical World with my family again.  _I_ wanted to show Petunia all of the wicked stuff we have in Diagon Alley. This is the first trip she's taken with us since my first year. That year she was in a big strop about me being a witch and getting to go to Hogwarts and didn't enjoy any of it."

He nods, biting his tongue. He suspects a bit more than just James stealing Petunia from her is what's soured her mood.

Sage, however, has no qualms about broaching the topic. "Are you sure that's why you're being so nasty? I mean, he certainly seems to like Petunia  _more_ than you…"

Lily's face takes on the scarlet hue of fury. She gives Severus's brother a less than a playful shove. "You're lucky I can't use my wand, Sage Montague! I'd hex you with beaver teeth!" she howls.

"Oi!" Severus snaps, stepping between the two.

However, before he can say anything more, Lily's mother swoops in. Mrs. Evans roughly grabs Lily's arm and orders, "You apologize to Sage this instance, young lady."

Looking terribly ashamed of herself, Severus's friend wilts in her mother's grip. "Sorry, Sage," mumbles Lily.

"It's fine," he replies, seemingly more bemused by everything than truly upset.

Face severe, Mrs. Evans tells Lily, "Say goodbye to your mates, we're leaving now."

Quickly, Lily does so. She hugs them each in turn and then approaches James, who she reluctantly shares a hug with too. Then, with one last wave, she walks off with her family, her mother's hand firmly planted on the back of her neck.

James turns his attention to Sage and Severus. "D'you think your mother would mind if I join you for dinner?"

Severus sighs in defeat. Sage, using the manners Aunt Vesta instilled in him since infanthood, nods. "No, not all. Please join us."

-o-O-o-

Up far later than either Montague, as per usual, Severus looks up from the novel he's reading when a tapping at his window starts. Padding over, he opens it to see an owl with a letter. Taking it, he opens the letter and reads:

_Severus,_

_I want to apologize for how I acted today. I was completely out of line. I will send a proper apology to Sage tomorrow morning. I know how much he means to you. Especially since he was the one who was there for you after your talk with your mother._

_It's entirely alright if you can't manage this, but is there any possibility you can sneak out of Boyd's and come to Cokeworth to see me after you get this letter? I really just want to talk with you about things._

_With love,_

_Lily_

Stuffing the letter on the bookcase by the fireplace, he goes to get his robe. Getting to Cokeworth won't be a problem. Either Montague noticing is highly unlikely too.

-O-

They are sitting on the overhang outside of Lily and Petunia's bedroom. It feels a bit like deja vu. Not even five years ago they were in this exact same spot discussing matters not all that different from today's. Lily shivers next to him as a breeze whips their hair into their faces. Taking off his robe, he hands it to her.

"No, Sev…"

"Take it," he insists.

After a moment of hesitation, Lily does so. Slipping it on, she hugs her arms around her middle and sighs. "You have the warmest robes."

"The Montagues are to thank for that."

She nods. "It's good, isn't it? That you have them, I mean."

"Yes, it really is," he agrees, thinking of his brother especially. Sage would be far worse off it things had played out the same between them as it had in their first lifetime.

"I really wasn't jealous," Lily grumbles.

He raises an eyebrow.

She sighs. "Just a little," she relents. "It's hard not to be. It was me he used to chase after. Once loved. Once married. Once had a child with." She sighs and scrubs a hand over her eyes. "I think, though, in some ways, this has made it easier to separate my James from this boy we know now. He's kinder, you know? He really doesn't tease too many others. Usually just a firstie or a mate on occasion. Even, then, it's all in good fun. No malicious intents, no hate, even when they're Slytherins he's poking."

"That's good, isn't it?" he asks, parroting Lily's words from earlier at her.

Lily settles her chin on her knees. "How can he become the man I loved again if he's changed so much?"

Severus shifts uneasily. "Lily…"

"What?" she demands when he falls silent, snapping up from her huddle to glare at him. "What, Severus?"

"You know everything we do changes things," he reminds her as gently as he can. "James is changed, you said it yourself. He's never going to be the man you loved."

Eyes big and dewy now, Lily's face crumples. Dragging her into his side, he holds as she sobs. After what feels like hours and when her cries begin to peter off, Lily rights herself and whispers, "I'm sorry."

"You're grieving," he replies.

She stares at him with a shaking mouth. "And you're not? Your mother's proved herself to be a woman far different from the one you thought she was hardly even two weeks ago."

He flinches.

Lily looks very sad and reaches for his hand. "I'm sorry. That was awful of me to bring up right now."

Severus shakes his head. "It's fine," he insists, doubling up the shields he has on that horrible thought from the morning. Giving Lily's hand a tight squeeze, he remarks, "We're in the same place right now. Both mourning over people who are here, but are never going to be who we thought we knew they were again. Everything is going to straighten itself out. We're not alone."

His friend nods, a wobbly smile stretching across her tear-streaked cheeks. "It's going to work itself out. We're not alone," she repeats in a half-reverent, half-relieved tone.

Severus returns the smile with a flash of a grin before turning his attention to the still dark sky above them. You never could see too many stars in Cokeworth. But, maybe together, he and Lily can find more than they ever managed to on their own in nights past staring up at the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	43. Expanding

Severus can safely say he is glad to go back to Hogwarts. The summer has been filled with much more trouble and heartache than he was prepared for and he thinks the distance from it will do him quite a bit of good. But, before he can get that distance, he has to play nice and pretend none of the pain he feels happened for a little while. At least he has a distraction in the Jones girls (how they convinced their father to take them to King's Cross to see Severus and Sage off, he'll never know).

Hestia on his hip, and Gwendolyn oohing and awwing over the Hogwarts Express beside him, Severus takes amusement in their juvenile joy. He doesn't think even he was half this excited when he first came to King's Cross when he was truly eleven. At least not about something as simple as the train, anyway. Suddenly, Sage appears beside him.

"Mum says to bring the girls back. The train's about to set off in fifteen minutes and she wants to say goodbye."

He sighs. "Alright."

Severus gestures for Gwendolyn to return to his side, which, with a pout, she does. Together, the four of them head back in the direction where the Montagues, Mr. Jones, and his mother wait. When they reach the small group, Gwendolyn runs to her father.

"Papa! The Express is so shiny! I can't wait until I get to ride it!"

The heavy-set man smiles at his daughter as he brings her flush against his side. "You'll get your chance soon enough, sweet."

As he passes Hestia over to Mr. Jones, Severus tries not to think about how closely Gwendolyn came to not even getting to see the Hogwarts Express, let alone ride it someday in the not so far off future.

"Thank you for taking the girls for a closer look, Severus," the man says.

He tries to smile politely but thinks it ends up looking like a grimace (Aunt Vesta certainly doesn't look pleased anymore). "It was no trouble."

"Even so," Mr. Jones replies, lifting his younger daughter higher on his hip. "Say goodbye now girls," he next tells his daughters.

"Bye-bye!" Hestia shouts.

Gwendolyn darts away from her father's side to throw her arms around Severus. "You'll remember to write us sometimes, won't you?" she begs.

Severus rolls his eyes, but gives the girl's back a good-natured pat. "At least once a month," he promises. Severus figures a short letter about something interesting he's "learning", or about the latest quidditch game, every month will leave Gwendolyn and Hestia over the moon and keep that adoring look in their eyes.

Grinning as if she's just tasted victory, the little girl lets him go. "Goodbye, Sev!"

He waves at them as the Jones disappear into the platform's crowd.

"Those girls are just darling," Aunt Vesta says with a small chuckle. She looks at Boyd. "I bet you and Violet will have beautiful children."

Boyd squirms a little. "I think children are a couple years away yet. Violet and I want to make sure they'll have the very best, which means I need to be a bit higher up in the Ministry than I am now."

The Montague woman frowns. "As long as they are a part of your plan for the future, I suppose."

"Mum, the Express is leaving soon," Sage complains, looking over his shoulder where other students are filing on in droves.

Aunt Vesta makes a face of exasperation. "Alright, alright!" she exclaims. "Come here."

Sage dips close for a quick embrace from her, and then from Boyd. Severus follows suit when the woman turns an expectant look on him. Then, very reluctantly, he finally meets his mother's gaze for the first time since this morning.

As it has been since he first saw her, her gaze is distant. Quietly, he says, "Bye, Mum."

His mother's stare focuses a little and she smiles at him. "Goodbye, Severus," she replies. She pulls him against her. "Be careful this year," she whispers into his ear.

When he pulls away, he frowns at her. What is that supposed to mean? Before Severus can ask, however, Sage gives the sleeve of his robe a tug. "We'll never find a compartment together if we don't leave now, Severus."

He nods and follows his brother to the train, but even so, he can't help but glance back at his mother.

Mum's face remains entirely inscrutable.

-O-

Once they are on the Express, it only takes looking in about a half dozen compartments to not only find one with enough room for both him and Sage, but one that already has Lily in it. She's sitting across from a little Asian girl who keeps glancing between Lily and the view outside. When Lily notices them, she leaps to her feet.

"Oh, you found me! I was worried someone else would take the seats before you two got here!"

Severus smiles back at her. "We got lucky, it seems," he replies.

"Take a seat! Take a seat!" she insists. Lily glances at the other occupant of the compartment. "You don't mind, do you?" she asks. "I can sit next to you if you prefer."

The little girl shakes her head. "No," she whispers.

Severus and Sage settle in. Soon, they are talking about what they are looking forward to at Hogwarts. Sage, who really took a shine to charms last year, starts talking about charms he saw fourth years practicing last year and how he's excited to learn them. Lily, who always had a knack for the subject herself, enthusiastically starts talking about charms she knows and thinks might come in handy for Sage.

Severus ends up letting the two take over the conversation and glances at the girl sitting beside him as the two are distracted. "You're a first year, aren't you?" he asks.

"Yes," she mumbles.

He offers a hand. "Severus Snape."

"Mei Wong," she replies, briefly shaking his hand.

He is about to ask her if she's Muggleborn, since she appears quite uncomfortable, but, before he can, a familiar face pops into the room.

"Severus!" Sirius shouts. A moment later, he steps into the room and Peter files in behind him.

"Hello, Sirius," he returns politely. Though, he can't say he's overly excited to see his mate. Sirius's latest letters to him were very self-centered and held a fair amount of bragging. Severus knows he should be more understanding of the fact it's just him going through a teenage phase, but the blatant immaturity has begun to grate on his nerves.

"We're looking for James and Remus. You haven't seen them, have you?" he asks.

He shakes his head. "No, sorry." Severus glances to Lily. "You?"

His friend smiles sympathetically at Sirius and Peter. "No. Sorry, boys."

Sirius sighs with his whole body in a dramatic fashion. "Ah, well," he replies. Then, finally noticing Mei seat behind Severus, he smirks. "Hey! You! Don't you know who you're sitting next to? Severus is a  _hero_ and you should be down on your knees groveling for the opportunity to sit next to him!"

Mei glances between Sirius and Severus, there's a nervous glimmer to her dark gaze, but astonishment has risen her eyebrows nearly halfway up her forehead. "Really?" she asks.

Severus closes his eyes and groans. How many people has Sirius told about what he did that day in Hogsmeade already?

-o-O-o-

Despite years as a spy, years of looking over his shoulder for bullies, years of looking for tiny indicators that tell him he could be walking into a viper's pit instead of his family's kitchen, Severus does not notice him right away. Instead, he's distracted by a petty argument with Mulciber and Rosier about whether or not werewolves live in the Forbidden Forest (they insist they must, given the howling they hear during the nights of the full moon. Oh, if only they knew the truth). It's not until he's sitting down at Slytherin's table and Sage elbows him in the ribs does he see him.

When he does, Severus's feels his mouth go dry in shock. Never, in  _any_ lifetime, had he thought the man would come here. To  _Hogwarts._  Even as Severus continues to stare at the man sitting in Professor Higg's old spot at the staff table, he never once looks Severus's way. Instead, just to be contrary, he stares in the opposite direction, right at the Gryffindor's table. And, as if to rub salt in the wound, right at Sirius.

(Does he know they are mates? Or is it because he's heard stories about the boy? Does Sirius make him think of mother? Another Pureblood who broke the mold?)

Numbly, Severus watches the first years go up one by one and be sorted into their houses. He hardly claps – even when one of the new students are sorted into Slytherin. As the sorting comes to a close, he hears Mei Wong's name called and watches her stumble up the stairs to the stool and Minerva. The little girl appears to vibrate in place as the hat is placed on her head. For a solid minute and a half, all anyone hears is the faint muttering of the hat as it and Wong talk to one another. Finally, just as they are coming up on minute two of her sorting, the hat hollers:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Severus finds himself raising an eyebrow. In the little time he'd had with Wong, Gryffindor had been the last house he'd thought she would go to. He wonders what it is the hat saw in her. Wonders if it will show itself in due time. Wonders if she'll die before she ever truly grows into the Gryffindor role.

As he continues to contemplate the girl, the sorting ceremony comes to an end and Albus stands to give his usual, start-of-the-term speech. Severus pays little attention until, finally, the headmaster says, "…And I'm pleased to introduce you all to our new defense against the dark arts professor, Demitri Prince."

Finally, after refusing to acknowledge his existence all evening, Severus's grandfather looks at him and he  _smiles_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	44. Expanding: II

When students are finally being dismissed from dinner, Lily makes eye contact with Severus across the Great Hall and quirks an eyebrow. He nods at her. First, she gets up and leaves. A minute later, Severus looks to Sage beside him. "Let's go," he says.

Sage, who's spent the whole evening giving Severus concerned looks instead of eating the sheppard's pie on his plate, is more than happy to agree. "Are we meeting with Lily?" he asks.

"Yes," Severus answers. In many circumstances, Severus prefers to leave Sage out of things between him and Lily. But this… He wants –  _needs –_ both of them at his side for what's to come with his grandfather. Rising to their feet, the two of them keep their heads down as they leave. Severus, because the last thing he wants is to see his grandfather's eyes trailing him, and Sage, out of nerves.

When they are safely out of the Great Hall, Lily springs herself on them. "Merlin! I can't believe this. Did either of you know he was going to be our new defense professor?"

Severus shakes his head and grabs Lily's arm. "No. Come on, let's go find a classroom to talk in."

The three of them head off in the direction of the grand staircase. Traveling up the stairs at a brisk pace, they don't talk much beyond Sage suggesting they duck into one of the unused classrooms near the study hall. When they come up near the study hall, Severus opens the door to one of the first classroom's they pass. Lily and Sage quickly following him into the little room, he casts a number of spells on the room as a whole. Ones that will discourage eavesdropping, others that will repel people away, and, finally, he charms the door to lock should anyone try and come in. It won't stop anyone who's insistent on getting into the classroom, but it will alert them and give them the time needed to prepare themselves to face the person on the other side of the door.

Finished with his spellcasting, Severus walks over to a chair and collapses into it.

Sage and Lily share a look. "Are you… This is bad, isn't it?" Sage whispers.

Putting his head in his hands, Severus mutters, "This is what she was meant."

"Sorry?" Lily asks, befuddlement clear in the way her brows furrow.

Severus pushes his hair out of his face and sighs. "Mum. She told me to be careful before we left this morning. This is what she must have meant. But how did she  _know_? Did she talk to Demitri? Did Aunt Vesta tell her?" He turns his gaze to Sage, searching his brother for any signs of guilt, of  _knowing_ , but all he sees is an honest concern. A concern for  _Severus_. "If Aunt Vesta knew, why didn't she say anything to us? I know she and I don't necessarily get along, but surely she'd have told me about my  _grandfather_ becoming Hogwarts new defense professor?"

"There's no way Mum knew," Sage defends. "She would have said something. Mum wouldn't have just let  _both_ of us go off to school without one of us knowing. Especially after that disaster of a Christmas dinner last year."

He nods. Feeling slightly better in regards to Aunt Vesta. Sage is right. Aunt Vesta is not much of a secret-keeper, she always has to tell someone what she knows or her plans. Severus realizes perhaps the one she told could have been his mother, but he highly doubts it. His mother was gone from the Montague manor for much of the time he and Sage were staying with Boyd. In addition to her being absent, Mum really doesn't seem to like spending time with anyone. And as much as it's obviously pained his cousin to watch his mother close herself away in her room, Aunt Vesta has respected Mum's want for space.

She's just happy Mum is finally back in her life.

"What are you going to do?" Lily asks.

Severus shrugs. "I can't  _not_  go to defense. I'll end up with a troll grade and have to repeat fourth year."

"Why do you think he's even here? Great Uncle Demitri's never said anything about wanting to teach before," says Sage.

He and Lily look at each other. It's more than obvious to them why the man is here. It's because of Severus. He damn well never taught during their first lifetime. However, what it is he's looking to get out of Severus exactly is a mystery. Severus isn't sure he wants to know, either.

Carefully, Lily replies, "I think we have to accept whatever his reason is for taking the defense position is, it's probably not out of the goodness of his heart."

Sage's shoulders slump and he sighs. "Yeah." He returns his attention to Severus. "Is there anything you want us to do for you in class? Gryffindor and Slytherin do take defense together."

"Let me handle things. I don't want him targeting either of you for ridicule or worse should he do something that you think I need to be defended from." He turns a hard stare on Lily. "I mean it."

She frowns. "I'm not promising that. If he's going to be a prick to you, I'm not just going to bite my tongue and  _watch_. I'd rather suffer alongside you than let him pick and dig at you all year."

"Lily–"

"No, she's right, Severus," Sage breaks in, a look of determination settling in his jawline. "If Great Uncle Demitri is going to be nasty to you, I'd rather he be nasty to all of us."

"It'll be a lot more bearable when he has to split his attention three-ways," Lily chimes in. Then, with a speculative look, she adds in, "I'm sure Sirius will act belligerent if he notices your grandfather mistreating you as well. Perhaps even James too." She smiles. "Before you know it, he'll be awful to  _everyone._ Peter and Remus won't just sit there and let him be an arse to James and Sirius. Once Peter and Remus are being targetted too, Mary will start fussing, because she fancies Remus right now, and then the rest of the Gryffindor girls will be throwing fits about his behavior too." Lily chuckles a little. "Everyone will think he's just an all-around git and hate him for that by the end of the month."

Severus shouldn't feel so relieved because Lily and Sage are putting themselves in harm's way for him, but he is. To know for once in his life that there are people who are willing to both stand up and take a hit for him is strange and uncomfortable. Yet he is so  _grateful_ as well.

"Alright," Severus relents. "And… Thank you."

Lily smiles sadly. "You don't have to thank us, Severus. We love you. This is what you do for someone you love."

-o-O-o-

Their first defense against the dark arts class is not until the end of the week, so while it is uncomfortable to take meals in the Great Hall, Severus feels alright for the first couple of days at Hogwarts. He distracts himself with helping Sage and Sirius get back into the swing of schooling. On their fourth day back, he rescues Scabior from getting his arse kicked by a couple of fifth years after he "accidentally" knocks over one of their inkwells when he bumps into the table they are writing letters home at in the Slytherin dorms and later, the same day, when he runs into Clara Parkinson on his way to the library, he and her have a short discussion about their summers.

She heard about his act of bravery in Hogsmeade and commends him for saving the Jones girls. In return, he talks about the spell he heard from Boyd she had published in a Defense Spell anthology and congratulates Clara on the success. By the time they reach the library, Severus awkwardly ends their conversation and suggests that when it comes time to have their dress robe measurements taken for Boyd and Violet's wedding that he, Sage, and Clara should go together. Clara readily agrees before waving goodbye and continuing onto her destination.

When he steps into the library, he goes straight for the defense textbooks. He has a feeling that tomorrow Demitri will try and catch him off guard with an obscure question of some kind. While his knowledge of defense spells and dark arts is both expansive and detailed, he'd rather refresh himself on the finer points than risk making a fool of himself tomorrow in class. As he's gathering a handful of textbooks, he notices out of the corner of his eyes some Gryffindor second or third years whispering amongst themselves and, occasionally, looking at him.

Severus sighs. Picking the last tome he wants from the shelf, he spins around and barks, "What?"

Two of the Gryffindors jolt, another drops the quill they were holding, and the fourth shrieks.

Predictably, Madam Pince appears from behind the end of the bookcase Severus stands beside. Eyes narrowed, she asks, "Is there a problem here masters and madam?"

Calmly, and with practiced aloofness, Severus turns his head and looks at the middle-aged witch. "No, Madam Pince."

"Let's keep it that way. It would be a shame should I have to ban any of you from the library so early in the year," she warns. Then, just as quickly as she appeared, she is gone.

Once again, Severus is alone with the rabbiting Gryffindors. He raises an eyebrow. "Well? What is it about me you're saying?"

While the three sitting at the table are looking at each other, daring one another with their wide-eyed gazes to be the one to tell Severus, the ginger from the floor stands up and brushes himself off. "Is it true you saved two little girls from a killing curse?" the ginger-haired boy asks.

Severus blinks. He should have predicted the Hogsmeade attack and his part in it was what they were gossiping about (what, with the way Sirius has been bragging about everyone about being there), yet… Even going on four years back in time, he expects the same hatred he always received from Gryffindors. Once it'd been for nothing more than being an ugly, poor Slytherin with a penchant for creating "dark" spells (most were and are far from it). Then during his second tenure at Hogwarts, it'd been for being a strict, ugly, Slytherin professor (who may or may not have been a Death Eater).

"There's no way of knowing if the spell was a killing curse," he replies. Which is a lie. Of course it was. There had never been a Hit Witch Gwendolyn Jones, Manticore Specialist Gwendolyn Jones, or just bloody Gwendolyn Jones at all in his first lifetime.

The Gryffindors don't appear the least bit unhappy with his answer. In fact, they seem even more impressed. "But the rest's true?" the girl of the group asks, "you really saved some girls from a spell?"

He shakes his head. "Inadvertently, I assure you. I couldn't just leave them alone in an alleyway to fend for themselves. The spell happened to hit where they were  _after_ I lead them away."

"Wicked!" another boy of the group breathes, green eyes sparkling.

Uncomfortable with the awe he sees, Severus lifts his books a little. "If you'll excuse me, I have some studying to do."

The group looks thoroughly disappointed by his words, but do not fight him when he hurries away to hide in some isolated corner of the library.

-o-O-o-

When he walks into Demitri's class, his grandfather hardly lets any of the students sit down before he directs them to stand up and organize themselves first by their house (Slytherin on the left, Gryffindor on the right), and then alphabetically by surname. Sage ends up sitting beside Mulciber, Severus by Rosier, and Sirius next to Lily. No one is particularly happy with this arrangement – even those who end up sitting beside mates, such as James and Peter, or by those they fancy, Mary MacDonald and Remus.

Once satisfied they've done as he commanded, Demitri introduces himself and hands out a syllabus with the year's curriculum. Despite himself, Severus's rather impressed by what his grandfather has planned. Most of his lessons are both practical and highly applicable to the lives of the students in the classroom today. The first couple of weeks will be on the history dueling, then they will move into theory and practicing the basics, such as foot placement, ducking, dodging, and weaving, along with rudimentary reflecting and shielding charms. Then they will learn offensive spells, what's best in such and such duel or when against x, y, or z creature. Finally, they will hold a dueling tournament where all students, first year through seventh, can participate and in the final weeks of school, the two students who make it to the last round of duels will face off in front of all of Hogwarts.

He looks at Demitri. Does his grandfather know war is on the horizon? Or is this simply what he has to share with the students of Hogwarts? It is an unknown that Severus is determined to find out.

Thankfully, when the old man asks if there are any questions, half a dozen hands shoot up in the air. It's obvious they are terribly excited by the idea of a tournament and want to know more about how it will work and when it will start. By the time he's answered all their questions, defense class is over. Demitri looks mildly frustrated at this.

Not wanting to give the man a chance to hold him back, Severus quickly gathers all of his things together and makes for the door. Unfortunately, Severus's plan does not work.

"Mr. Snape," his grandfather calls, voice booming against the stone walls of the classroom.

He freezes. Turning slowly, he stares right at the old man. "Yes, Professor?"

Gathering the papers on his desk together, Demitri says, "If you would, please come here."

Severus shares a look with Lily as he passes her. I'll be outside," she mouthes at him.

Almost imperceptibly, he nods at her.

While the rest of the students file out – Lily included – Sage attempts to linger. His grandfather sighs at the sight of him. "Please leave, Mr. Montague." Sage frowns and reluctantly starts for the door. Demitri calls, "Take Ms. Evans to lunch with you. Mr. Snape will be just fine with me." A smirk tugs at his lips. "I'm not Cronus."

Sage pauses mid-step as Severus scowls at the old man. "Yes, Professor," Severus's brother says before leaving the classroom.

When they are finally, and utterly alone, his grandfather asks, "How many know of our relationship to one another?"

"Just Sage," Severus lies.

He raises an eyebrow. "Really? You and Miss Evans appear to be quite close."

Severus looks away and says nothing. The less Demitri knows about him the better as far as he's concerned.

His grandfather sighs. "Your mother has visited me several times since your father's death."

Severus's head snaps up. "What?" he demands.

"Your mother. The first time she came, it was to murder me. She was certain it was I who killed him."

He frowns. "If that's what she believed, why aren't you dead?" Because despite all her faults, all her weaknesses, his mother's determination should have seen either Demitri or her death through.

"I happened to have some Veritaserum on hand."

Severus quirked a disbelieving brow. "Really?"

The old man glares at him. "You should speak with more respect to your elders."

He scoffs. "That's never going to happen."

"Five points from Slytherin."

Severus sputters, "That's not– You can't–"

Demitri smirks. "Ah, that's where you're wrong." Snootily he remarks, "Perhaps having myself for a professor will teach you some manners yet."

He bares his teeth in a snarl. "Why are you teaching at Hogwarts?" he spits.

The old man places a hand on his chest. "For your mother," he answers. "You may not believe me–" he cocks his head, as if a new has just come to him – "Nor may your mother, but I love her. She is my only child. Had the circumstances been different some sixteen years ago, she would still be my daughter." Quietly, he continues, "Out of my love for your mother, I agreed to help her discover your father's killer." He eyes Severus. "Even if he was a poor excuse of one, he meant a great deal to your mother and if it will make her happy, I will help. While investigating several different leads on his death I… I came to learn many unsettling things are afoot."

His grandfather looks greatly upset at this admission and so, Severus asks for no clarification. Doesn't need it anyway. He knows what festers on the edges of their society. What is soon going to spill over into its whole.

Instead, Severus demands out of frustration, "Why are you  _here_?"

"To teach you, and all the rest of the students of Hogwarts, how to protect themselves."

It is both a surprising and suspicious answer. Finally, Severus settles on a reply. "You're too late. I've known how to protect myself for years."

His grandfather starts, "Severus–"

He cuts him off, "Is there anything else you wish to discuss or am I dismissed?"

Demitri tries once more, "Severus–"

Louder, he repeats, "Is there something else or am I dismissed?"

"Dismissed," the old man finally answers after a long pause.

He nods his head. "Thank you."

With that, Severus leaves. He feels his grandfather's gaze on his back long after he's left the defense classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	45. Expanding: III

During the next defense against the dark arts class, Severus receives a detention. For nothing more than bloody propping his head in hands. At least he can take comfort in the fact he's not the only one who's been punished so severely for something so petty. Among the Gryffindors, Peter is also assigned a detention for tapping his foot, and Magda Pucey of Slytherin is given one after Demitri catches her chewing on the white of her thumbnail. After Pucey, all of the students who've yet to lose their Saturday afternoons, are too afraid to so much as look away from Demitri and his chalkboard as he lectures about the importance of always having your wand not only on your person, but in a holster on your wand-arm when not in use.

As irksome as the detention is, it gives him something to bond with his fellow Slug Club members during the first meeting of the school year that evening.

"Merlin, Professor Prince is a git! He gave my girlfriend detention after she yawned in his class!" Clarence Bones complains to a fellow Hufflepuff a few steps away.

Gulping down the last half is his very obviously spiked-punch, Severus walks over to the Hufflepuffs and says, "In our last class, Prince gave three detentions out. One for foot-tapping, another for nail-biting, and one to me when I rested my head in my hands."

The other Hufflepuff with Bones, a dusky-skinned, broom-thin seventh-year Severus can't recall the name of whistles. "Wow. How many students d'you reckon he'll have to scrub the floors of his classroom tomorrow?"

Severus scoffs loudly and throws out his arms, causing himself to stumble in the process. "Please! Prince probably has enough of us to clean even his  _ceiling._ "

Bones squints at him. "Which punch bowl have you been drinking out of? You look a little shaky, lad," he says.

"'M fine," Severus grumbles. "Just had a couple of glasses."

The teenagers share a glance. "From the punch bowl on the right or the punch bowl on the left?"

"Right."

Bones sighs. "Brilliant. That's both of them then."

"I told Crispin not to spike both of the punches," the other Hufflepuff grumbles.

"Like that prick listens to anyone. He's probably hoping it'll loosen up the birds. You know he's been eyeing Taryn Robin since the start of term."

Squinting at them, Severus asks, "Why's Horace not had the elves replace it?"

The still without-a-name Hufflepuff laughs. "Oh, calling him  _Horace_ now, are you?"

"Belt up!" he snaps, baring his teeth at the Hufflepuff in a far from friendly manner.

"Phil's just teasing you, lad," Bones tells him, slinging an arm around Severus's shoulders. "Come on, you're friendly with Clara Parkinson, right? Let's take you over to her. She can take you back to your dorms."

Severus jerks away from the older teenager, only to totter and be caught by Phil before he can fall face first to the floor (he's never drinking again until he knows a couple glasses of spiked punch aren't going to make him this unsteady anymore). "Whoa there!" the Hufflepuff murmurs. "Careful." Keeping a firm hand on the back of his neck, Phil the Hufflepuff guides him across the room. "This is your first time drinking, huh, lad?"

"No, used to all the time," Severus grumbles as he glances around the room. There were a lot of red-faced teenagers who are far too merry for so early in the school year. Not really thinking at all as he watches a pair of sniggering teenagers slip into the classroom's closet to do Merlin-knows-what, he says, "Then I was ten and the only thing around was the piss-poor excuse for a scotch my dad liked. Wasn't gonna drink that. Not only's it gross, it woulda just gotten me the belt."

"I think he drank more than two glasses," Bones mutters above him to Phil.

Phil snorts. "I'd say!"

Severus just scowls.

"Ah, Clara!" Bones abruptly shouts, leaving them to get in the girl's personal space.

Looking far too sober for what's transpiring, the Parkinson girl takes a step back from Bones. "Clarence," she replies.

Jutting his thumb over at Severus, the Bones boy asks, "Can you do me a favor? That lad there's had a bit too much of the punch. D'you think you could take him back to your dorms?" He smirks. "Wouldn't want him to get lost on his way."

Clara puts a hand to her cheek. "Oh dear." Gesturing for Phil to release him, Clara reaches out and takes Severus's wrist. "Come on, Severus. I think it's time we head back to our dorms."

He digs his feet into the grooves of the stone floor. "I can get there myself." After a pause, he adds, "When I wanna."

"Severus…" the teenager begins with a face resignation, knowing just as well as Severus there's no way he's leaving the party without a fight. However, before she can start to lecture or persuade him, a pair of hands grab Severus from behind and toss him over a broad shoulder.

Thrashing frantically, Severus yells, "Lemme go!"

"Not on your life, lad," a new voice says. "I hope you don't mind the help, Clara."

Where he is, Severus can just see Clara's countenance. Her expression is one of complete surprise. "No, thank you, Benjy," she replies, eyes suddenly warm and besotted.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here?" a new, but  _very_ familiar voice demands.

Ah, it seems dear old Horace has finally picked up on the fact Severus is being manhandled against his will. Before he can even start to complain, however, Benjy spins around. Which means Severus spins around too. Very dizzy now, he clenches his teeth together tightly to keep his dinner from spewing out of him. He highly doubts the upper year will take well to chunks of regurgitated carrot and potato cascading down his back – even if it seems he's trying to get on Clara's good side.

"Ah, sorry Professor Slughorn. I'm helping Clara here take this one back to their dorms," Benjy apologizes.

A foot or so away, Bones pipes up, " _Someone_ spiked the punch. Snape there had a bit too much of it."

"Godric's sword!" the man gasps (why he sounds so shocked, Severus doesn't know. He knows for a fact spiked punch is a near-constant occurrence at Slug Club parties. The only way they're ever enjoyable is if you're a little sloshed). "I'll have the elves replace it right now. Wingry!"

A distinct pop sounds to the left of Severus. "Yessir Professor Slughorn?"

"Please get a fresh batch of punch to replace the old ones."

"Be backs in a minute, sir."

Slughorn chortles nervously. "Let's try and keep the fact the punch got spiked amongst ourselves, hm? If our dear Headmaster catches wind of this…  _prank_ , he may not let another get-together happen for quite some time."

"Of course, Professor," the upper years chorus.

"Thank you, young men and lady," Slughorn concludes before the sound of footsteps moving away from them starts, indicating he's once again disappeared into the groups of students surrounding them to mingle.

"Ready?" Benjy asks Clara as he shifts his hold on Severus a little.

"Yes," she says. "Thank you, Clarence and Phil, for bringing Severus to me."

"It's no trouble! See you!" Clarence replies chipperly.

Soon enough, they're moving and Severus begins to squirm again. Benjy tightens his hold. "You're going to fall on your head," he tells him.

"At least then this indignen– indidnan– embarrassment would be over!" Severus hisses.

The pair laugh. "Alright," Benjy relents, "if I put you down, you're going to walk right between us nicely, got it?"

It's on the tip of his tongue to disagree, but he'd  _really_ like to be put down even more. "Yes," Severus agrees.

A moment later, he's upside right, wavering between the stocky figure of Benjy and slender one of Clara. A hand on his shoulder helps him to steady. "Are you alright?" the Parkinson girl frets.

He shakes off her touch. "Fine."

Hands now in the pockets of his robes, Benjy jerks his head in the direction of the dungeons. "You're still going to your dorm, lad."

He scowls deeply at the cleft-chinned Gryffindor beater. "Whatever."

Benjy takes no offense, and, instead, laughs, which makes Clara smile. Of course, the moment he turns his frown on her, she tries to cover it up with her hand. "I know you think this is funny," grumbles Severus.

Looking quite ashamed and apologetic, she says, "Of course not! It's not funny at all that someone spiked the punch and you got pissed because of it."

"It is a little," the Gryffindor counters. He gives Severus's back a hardy slap. "The lad here probably didn't even know it had vodka in it! You're what, thirteen?"

Severus glares up at Benjy. " _Fourteen_." Stomping ahead of the pair just a little, he adds, "And I knew exactly what was in the punch! I've had vodka before."

"You have?" Clara whispers.

He looks over his shoulder at her. "Yes."

"…Boyd hasn't been giving you and Sage free reign of his liquor, has he?"

Severus scoffs. "No. Boyd has better things to do than get his little brother and I drunk."

"Don't worry, Clara," Benjy soothes. "Lads his age are always getting into stuff they shouldn't." He grinned impishly. "Trust me. I was his age in the not too distant past."

Clara relaxes a bit and Severus rolls his eyes. Keeping quiet as they make the rest of the walk back to the Slytherin dorms, he half-listens to the two as they talk about classes, their mates, and the latest gossip that had been going around at the Slug Club party. By the time they reach the Slytherin dorms, it clicks.

Benjy's hardly taken his eyes off Clara the entire walk back to the dorms and the Parkinson girl's face has been a steady pink for the past fifteen minutes. Tongue loose from the punch, he blurts, "You're gonna marry each other."

Their gazes snap to him. After a bout of silence, they laugh.

"You're so pissed," Clara giggles. Reaching once more for Severus's wrist, she tugs him toward the portrait guarding the entrance to their dorm. "Let's get you to bed," she says. "Thanks for the help, Benjy. See you in transfiguration on Monday."

He smiles and waves. "It was no trouble, bye."

Letting himself not only be guided into the Slytherin common room, but into his dorm as well, Severus stares at Clara as she pulls a pair of jimjams out of his trunk. "Go put those on," she orders.

He takes the clothes. "It's obvious he fancies you."

Closing his trunk as quietly as she can, Clara just sighs. "Sure, he's fit and all. But my father would kill me if I marry a Fenwick. His grandfather's a Muggleborn."

"Sometimes you have to risk everything if you wanna even be a little happy at the end," he advises.

Standing back up, Clara pats his cheek. "You're too sweet." She next takes him by the shoulder and steers him towards the bathroom. "Get changed and go to bed." She looks over her shoulder at Severus's many slumbering dormmate. "Try and be quiet, alright? Your roommates are all sleeping."

"You're not gonna regret it," he insists.

The Parkinson girl sighs. "If you go to bed, I'll take your opinion under advisement, okay?"

Severus nods. "Okay."

She pats his face one last time. "Goodnight, Severus."

"G'night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	46. Expanding: IV

Just shy of a month into the school year and Severus decides he's had enough. He's had a detention with Demitri once a week at minimum (though, for two of the weeks, he's had two and once, four detentions). People are  _always_ whispering around him – not always good things, either. His mother has not replied to even one of the half dozen letters he's sent home; despite Aunt Vesta assuring him she received each and every one personally from her after the first two he sent her by owl went unanswered. Scabior is more trouble than ever before because he's started some feud with a pair of twin Ravenclaws in his year and they seem to live for out doing one another in cruelties to each other.

And as if things could not possibly be any worse, the people he should be able to depend on, Lily, Sage, Sirius, all have their own problems. Lily's in a perpetual strop from watching James have near daily correspondence with her sister and refuses to admit it bothers her as much as it does. Severus thinks Lily convinced herself to believe it wouldn't last past the first or second week of school and now can't handle that she's not only wrong, but James and Petunia are growing closer and closer. Sirius, when he can find him (Severus suspects he and the rest of the Marauders are creating their damnable map), is far too busy being irritating to be helpful. And when he's not being annoying, he's struggling with potions and needs Severus to help him instead-. While Sage has been quarantined in the infirmary for the last two weeks with dragon pox. Where he got it is anyone's guess. It certainly wasn't from anyone in Hogwarts as he's the only student in quarantine.

Severus has stood on his own two feet alone for most of his life. Done just fine that way too, even. But happiness had been a fleeting thing when he was on his own. He despises to admit it, but living had been… Almost enjoyable these past few years. Even with all of the revelations and upheaval. For everything that went wrong, there had seemed to be something that went right too. But not anymore. Now, it's something of a drudgery to just live again. A task that must be done for the "greater good" (loathes he to say it).

When Severus crosses paths with Scabior and his twin nemesis dueling one another after a detention with his grandfather and Scabior tells him to "bugger off" while Severus tries to end things, he does exactly that. Severus puts his wand away, turns heel, and leaves. He's dealt with enough ungrateful brats in his day, why does he need to help Scabior too? It's not even his job anymore. No, the only thing Severus is required to do these days is making sure he gets his essays in on time.

After leaving Scabior to it, he goes to his and Lily's classroom for the year and checks on his latest experiments. He's been faffing around with poisons. When the opportunity arises to destroy some (or better yet, all) of Voldemorts horcruxes, Severus wants something on hand that will do it quickly and efficiently. He hopes soon he'll have a concoction that's as strong as Basilisk venom. If not, he'll scrap the poison and start working on a plan to get to the snake he knows lays beneath the school.

He tenses at the very thought of facing the Basilisk. Perhaps he'll give creating an artificial poison one more go before doing something so…  _drastic_ as milking and killing the one below his feet.

Then, because it's far past curfew by the time he's done with his poisons, he takes the long route back to the Slytherin dorms. When he was a professor, he often enjoyed nighttime patrols. They'd been a way clear his head and a way to tire himself out so he'd have no nightmares when he finally went to sleep. Finally, Severus arrives at his dorms. When he walks in, he blinks when he sees a short form, but very familiar form, sitting on the floor by the common room's dimly glowing hearth.

"Scabior?" he calls.

The form only twitches. With a great, loud, put-upon sigh, Severus goes to the boy's side. "What are you doing up?" he asks.

Hair blocking all but the very tip of his nose, Scabior continues to stare straight ahead. Severus rolls his eyes and plops down beside the second-year. He's sure if they sit here long enough Scabior will eventually speak. The boy's patience is abysmal. Finally, just as he expected he would, Scabior speaks. "You left."

"Pardon?"

"You  _left_."

Severus stares at the side of Scabior's head. "You told me to bugger off."

"I  _always_ say that!"

He huffs out a breath. "And I finally did what you asked." Sneering, Severus asks, "Are you telling me you  _aren't_ happy I finally listened to you?"

The younger boy's head whips around. Severus hisses at the large laceration he sees running diagonally from right below his left eye to the right corner of his upper-lip. "Merlin!" exclaims Severus. "Why are you  _here_? You should be in the infirmary!"

"I'm not gettin' in trouble for fightin'!"

Leaning in closer to inspect the wound, Severus growls, "You fighting would be the last thing Pomfrey's worried about when looking at  _this_." Grasping Scabior's face, he carefully rotates it. "Do you know what spell did this?"

"No. Wasn't payin' much attention to the words they were sayin'."

Severus sighs. "It's really deep… But I have some stuff that can probably scab this over by the morning."

"'Ow come you buggered off?"

Hands falling from the boy's face, he frowns. "What?"

Quietly, Scabior repeats, "'Ow come you buggered off?"

"I already told you! You  _said_ to!"

"You never do! You always– You're always–"

"–There?"

"…Yeah."

Severus puts his hands to his eyes. He's tired and so very done with being the one everyone expects to jump in to assist when no one will ever return the favor. "Look, Scabior, as much as I may want to be, I'm not always going to be there. You're going to have to figure out how to stand up for yourself. I just decided you might as well learn that now rather than later."

After a bout of silence, the boy whispers, "That's not what 'eroes do."

" _What_?" he squawks, hands falling away.

Hazel meets black. "'Eroes. That's not what 'eroes do."

Adamantly, Severus says, "I'm not a hero."

Scabior scoffs. "Then why's 'alf the school call you one?"

"They're dunderheads."

Scowling now, Scabior asks, "'Ow can 'alf of 'Ogwarts be that stupid? Your own mate's callin' you one!"

"They don't know me. Not even a little," he tells the boy while thinking of each and every mistake he made in his last lifetime and this one.

Eying him dubiously, Scabior asks, "What can you 'ave done that's so bad?"

"Plenty, Scabior. Plenty."

He pulls his mouth into what can only be a painful sneer. "If you're not gonna give examples, don't expect me to believe you."

"I don't need anyone to believe me. Knowing what I've done is more than enough." He gets to his feet and offers a hand to the boy. "Do you want my help with that cut or not?"

Scabior stares at his hand for a moment. Then, with a sigh, takes it. "I'm not gonna go to Madam Pomfrey just so I can get a detention," he grumbles.

Severus holds back on rolling his eyes as he pulls the younger to his feet. "Whatever you say, git."

-o-O-o-

"What happened to Scabior's face?" Sage asks two days later once he's finally free of Madam Pomfrey's clutches and they are alone in their dorm.

Severus's shoulders hunch inward and he looks away.

Sage, who's far too perceptive for Severus's liking, raises an eyebrow. "Sev?"

"…He had a duel with those Ravenclaws he doesn't get on with," he replies, still refusing to look at his brother.

"There's more to it than that, isn't there?"

Severus sighs. "I was there for a bit of it. I was trying to help and he told me to leave." He glances at Sage. "And I did."

"What?" Sage gapes, hands shooting out to grab Severus and turn him his way. "You  _left_ Scabior? I thought you were the one who said leaving him to fight his own battles wouldn't help him?"

Peevishly, Severus snaps, "And I was right, wasn't I? Look at him! He's going to have a bloody scar!"

Hands flying up in defense from his verbal lashing, Sage says, "What changed? Why'd you let him alone?"

"It's stupid."

Sage frowns. "Surely it's not. Just explain it to me."

Severus sighs and looks away again. "I was looking forward to coming back to Hogwarts."

"Yes, alright," Sage replies when Severus says nothing more after a few seconds.

Running a hand through his hair, he nods shakily as he continues, "Then I saw my grandfather at the staff table and all I wanted was to leave. Things haven't gotten better since then, either. I've got detention on a weekly basis because of him. Lily's too preoccupied with James and her sister's romance to really be of help and, forgive me, but Sirius is not good to talk to about serious things."

"And me?" Sage demands heatedly. "Why've you not talked to me about how much of a bother Great Uncle Demitri's been to you?"

He stares at his brother as if he's the idiot. "You've been sick."

"…You could have had Madam Pomfrey take me letters."

Severus scoffs. "I didn't have time for playing messenger with the school nurse on top of my detention and assignments for classes."

"Fine," Sage growls through clenched teeth. It's more than obvious to Severus he's only letting the excuse pass without argument so he can move on in the discussion to something he thinks is more important. "But I'm here now.  _Explain_. How is Scabior? He's not upset with you, is he?"

"He thought I was a hero before I left him to duel alone. I don't know if he does anymore."

"Shit."

Severus can only nod.

Putting a hand on his shoulder, Sage pulls him closer and assures, "Even heroes make mistakes and need help, okay? Honestly, I don't think you even made a mistake with Scabior. He needed to know that he can't always depend on you, or anyone else, to come in and save him when he starts something with someone."

"Sage–"

His brother glares. "No. I'm right," he insists. "He needed the lesson.  _You_ needed it too."

That makes Severus's brows furrow in confusion. "What?"

"Sev, you're the best brother anyone could ask for. You go so out of your way to help me. Even more than Boyd ever has. I don't know how you pick your people or your reasons always, but you collect others. Not always willingly. I'm pretty sure we'd have never become brothers, let alone mates, if you'd not walked into the owlery that day, but since then…" Sage shakes his head. "I love you. But just because you've decided someone's worth your time doesn't mean you have to give them everything you have because of that." He lets Severus go. "Especially when they're not ever going to give as much, if anything, back, like Scabior."

He frowns. "How can you possibly know that Scabior won't offer a helping hand when and if I should ever need it?"

Sage shrugs. "He's a Scabior."

"That's like saying all dogs are black because you saw one dog that's black."

The boy sighs. "There's a definite pattern with Scabiors, Severus."

He crosses his arms. "There was a definite pattern with Blacks too. Yet here we are, going to school with one who's in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin."

"If he proves himself different, I'll apologize. Until then, don't get angry with me just because I'm trying to protect you!"

Unable to hold in his temper any longer, Severus shouts back, "I don't need your help if this is what you're offering!"

"Fine!" Sage snaps. Then, turning around, he picks up his satchel and hisses, "I'm going to the study hall to catch up on my assignments. I don't want to be bothered there. So, if you're not looking to apologize to me for being an arse after I just tried to  _protect y_ ou, don't come looking for me."

Severus bared his teeth. "Well, then. Don't expect me to come running after you. Especially since you just  _insulted_ my taste in people!"

Sage scoffs once and, then, leaves.

In return, he turns his back on his brother and walks in the direction of his trunk to find something to help lessen the scar on Scabior's face. It doesn't matter if Scabior ever thanks him or helps in return for all he's done and will do for him. It's just the right thing to do. After doing the wrong thing for so many years, Severus thinks he can do no less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	47. Expanding: V

Surprisingly, it's not Lily who picks up on the bad blood between Sage and Severus first. No, after two days of hardly exchanging a word and avoiding each other as much as possible, it's Sirius who says something.

"Are you in a spat with Sage? I thought you'd be spending all of your time with him now that Madam Pomfrey's finally released him."

Severus shrugs his shoulders.

Sirius frowns. "Come on, this is the easy part. It's a yes or no question."

"Let me take a look at your essay," Severus demands, ignoring his mate's scolding. He reaches over the table, fingers grasping for the edge of Sirius's parchment. "You know Professor Dwightson hates it when you start sentences with conjunctions."

"Only after you answer my question," Sirius replies, pulling his essay out of Severus's reach.

"Sirius…"

The boy lifts it above his head.

Silently, Severus curses him. He's not as tall as the Gryffindor and the last thing he's going to do is jump for it. Using a hex on him to make him drop it would be too extreme a reaction to something like this as well. Maybe he can punch him in the gut? No, that will draw Madam Pince's attention the moment Sirius cries out. Instead, he settles for clenching his teeth and through them, Severus hisses, "If you don't let me correct it now, I'm not going to correct it ever."

Sirius waivers for a moment. Severus begins to hope the issue he has with Sage will drop, but, then, Sirius squares his shoulders and says, "That's fine. One bad paper won't ruin my E in Astronomy."

Severus scowls and falls back in his chair. "That's what you think," he mutters.

"You get nasty when you're mad, don't you?" Sirius remarks with a small amount of amusement in the lilt of his voice.

He turns his head away. "Shut up."

"Soooo…"

Severus only fiercens the scowl he's directing at the back of some girl's head a few tables down. He wonders if she'll ever realize he's glaring at her. If she's even half as oblivious as most students in this school, he doubts it.

Sirius makes a loud noise of exasperation. Several students to their right look at them. A Ravenclaw prefect who's helping Madam Pince monitor the Study Hall raises an eyebrow at them. Severus knows he's been watching them since the start of their conversation. But it's only now that he's seriously starting to consider kicking them out.

Before he can, Severus gets up. "Let's go," he says to Sirius.

Startled, the boy asks, "Now?"

Severus just growls.

Jumping to his feet, Sirius gathers his things and babbles, "Okay! Okay! Keep your robe on."

Impatiently, he waits. The moment his mate has everything in his satchel, Severus starts for the door. He doesn't bother to slow down even when Sirius begins to cuss behind him. When they are out in Hogwarts corridors, he finally looks over his shoulder. He sees Sirius struggling to latch the top of his satchel. Sighing loudly, Severus crosses his arms and waits for the boy to catch up.

When he's finally at his side, Severus grumbles, "Took you long enough."

"Shut up, you git. You're the one who was  _rushing_ me!"

He snorts and says nothing more.

After a few minutes of silence, Sirius asks, "Are you going to start talking soon? Or am I just wasting my time here? I could be studying for that charms quiz we have tomorrow right now."

Severus is quiet for a moment more, then, softly, he asks, "Why's it you? Why are you asking me about Sage? Lily–"

"–Is hung up on James," Sirius cuts in.

He frowns at his mate.

The Gryffindor boy sighs and waves a hand. "I know, I know, we like to have a laugh now and again about how close you and Lily are. But she's been… Well, Remus is the one who asked. I really thought the two of you fancied each other. After Remus started pointing things out, like her getting upset whenever James smiled after getting a letter at breakfast, I kind of realized I was being pretty thick." He looked at Severus. "Or maybe only when it comes to her?"

Severus clears his throat. "I thought you wanted to talk about Sage."

"I do!" Sirius insists. "I just wanted you to know, it's not that Lily doesn't care, 'cause I'm sure if she wasn't so focused on James, she'd be all over you."

He nods.

Afer a beat of silence, Sirius adds, "Remus is talking to her about James, if that makes anything better."

"Is he now?"

Sirius shrugs. "Even before this thing with Sage, you didn't seem to be in a rush to." He side-eyes Severus. "I know you don't like him."

"That's not true. I don't mind James."

"You don't  _mind_  him, yeah. That doesn't mean you  _like_ him." After a pause, Sirius adds, "You don't really seem to like Peter or Remus too much either."

Severus sighs. Rubbing the bridge of his nose to hide his irritation, he insists, "They're  _fine_."

Sirius shakes his head. "You don't have to," he tells Severus. "As long as you don't act like a wanker to them, I'm okay with all of us never being best friends." He stops and faces Severus. "I don't really like Sage, you know."

"What?" he demands. Severus had thought the two of them were finally becoming friendly with one another after the Hogsmeade incident during the summer.

Sirius winces a little. "He's uppity," says the boy. "I mean, he's not  _that_ uppity, I guess. He's friends with you–"

"–What is that supposed to mean?"

The boy winces. "Nothing. It's just… You're really good at hiding it, but sometimes you'll do or say stuff and it's really obvious your family's, um, ah…"

"Chavs?" Severus demands in little more than a hiss.

Sirius has the sense to look embarrassed as he nods. "Yes."

"I see," replies he, voice clipped from controlled anger.

The boy tries to put a hand on Severus's shoulder, but he expertly doubles the space between them, leaving Sirius to grasp air. Taking on a hang-dog expression, the Gryffindor says, "That's why I like you, you know. You're  _different._ You're not like Sage or my family. It's also obvious that's why Scabior listens to you–"

"–He doesn't listen to me!" Severus shouts over Sirius. "If he did, he'd stop getting into bloody duels with others!"

Startled at his sudden change in volume, the other boy blinks. Then, almost like he thinks Severus is some kind of wild animal, he puts up his hands. "Okay. He's still getting in duels. But does he go around destroying people's stuff on purpose anymore? I haven't heard you complain about having to fix anyone's letters or repair their books since like the first week of term."

Reluctantly, after a moment of reflection, Severus answers, "No. He's been fairly good on that front as of late."

Sirius perks up at that. "See?" he says. "Progress!"

He relaxes a little. Severus has spent little time reflecting on Scabior's behavior; looking for signs that his help has actually did just that,  _helped_ Scabior. To have Sirius point it out is a relief. A sign that he's not been wasting his time. Finally, Severus says, "It's funny you mentioned Scabior. Sage and I are rowing about him."

"Oh? Why?"

Severus scrubs a weary hand through his hair. "He thinks the lad is a waste of my time. Scabior, in his oh so humble opinion, can't be relied on to help me if I should ever need it – even after all that I've done for him."

Sirius frowns. "Why's he think that?"

"Because the Scabior family is rubbish."

"I've heard that before," Sirius says. "But, you know, that doesn't mean  _he's_ rubbish. Look at my family! Everyone always says Blacks are the best of the best, but we've had our share of squibs."

"That's what I told Sage," Severus grumbles.

Sirius claps a hand on his shoulder. "And you're right."

"Thank you."

Sirius sucked in a breath. "But…"

"Of course there's a but," grumbles Severus.

"It's a good one, I promise."

He sighs. "Let's hear it."

"I'm sure Sage only meant the best. Even if he went about it in a prick-way. It doesn't take a genius to see he loves you," Sirius tells him, expression kind.

Reluctantly, Severus nods. "He did say he's just trying to protect me."

"I can see that," Sirius replies after a moment. "Not destroying people's stuff is a pretty small change. Scabior's still a prat in a lot of ways. I think it'd hurt Sage just as much as it does you if Scabior ends up proving to be rubbish in the end."

Severus eyes his friend for a moment. "…Do you think I should apologize to Sage?"

"If he apologizes too. I mean, he really shouldn't have told you you're wasting your time on Scabior. He doesn't know that." Sirius puts a hand to his chest. " _I_  reckon you're not. I'm not going to lie, it's slow going with that lad. But he  _is_ changing."

Severus nods. "Thank you."

"What are mates for?" Sirius replies jovially, a wide grin splitting across his face.

-o-O-o-

The next time he sees Sage, it's when he's stepping out of the shower in their dorm's bathroom. Putting away his toothbrush, Severus turns to face his brother. "'Lo," he says.

Expression guarded, the boy returns, "Severus."

"It's been suggested that I might want to apologize," he tells the other.

Sage blinks. "Oh?"

"But only if you're going to apologize too."

Almost instantly, his brother's face turned mulish. "Whatever for?"

"For saying I'm wasting my time on Scabior."

He crosses his arms. "You  _are_."

"He is changing, you know."

"Really?" Sage sneers.

Trying to keep the irritation off his face, Severus nods. "Yes," he replies. "I know  _you_ think the worst of him, but it was pointed out to me by someone who  _doesn't_ that he's not destroyed anyone's property since early this term."

Sage opens his mouth, brow furrowed. Finally, he closes it. For a moment, Sage just scowls. Finally, he spits, "That we know of."

"Oh, if he did, we'd know. He has a clear penchant for destroying our housemates' things."

Loudly, the boy sighs. "Alright. He's not destroying stuff! That's  _great._ "

"It is," Severus agrees earnestly. "It proves he is capable of change and not rubbish."

His brother is silent for a long moment, expression hard. Finally, he says, "I still don't trust him."

"Trust me, then. If I say he's improving, he's improving."

Sage sighs and looks away. "Don't expect anything from me but an 'I told you so' when he shows his true colors, alright?"

"And when rises above his circumstances and becomes a functioning member of society, you better expect an 'I told you so' from  _me_ ," Severus returns in challenge.

For a time, they just stare at each other with sharp, glittering glares. Then, because he's truly just a boy, Sage loses the rigidity in his shoulders and asks, "Are we fine now?"

Severus nods. "As fine as the circumstances allow."

Sage offers a hesitant smile. "If you give me a moment to get dressed, we can probably play a round of Exploding Snaps before bed."

"I'd like that," Severus replies, just as eager to let things return to normal between them as Sage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	48. Expanding: VI

Busily comparing results of two of his poisons to known properties of Basilisk venom, Severus hardly notices Lily come into their classroom. He does, however, finally put aside his research when Lily drags a chair over from another desk to his.

"Hi," she whispers.

Warily, Severus returns, "'Lo."

An awkward silence falls between them. Neither quite looking at the other, but not ignoring them either. Finally, Lily pushes her hair behind her ears and squares her shoulders into a fighting position. Green eyes hard with determination, she says, "I heard you had a row with Sage."

"Yes," replies Severus, "I did."

She falters slighting. "Are you… Okay now?"

He nods. "We've agreed to reserve our judgment on the matter until later when we have more proof his way or my way."

"That's good," Lily says. "I know Sage adores you and you like him too. I'd hate for a row to ruin things between you two."

Severus doesn't know if it's daring or a simple slip of the tongue, but he asks, "Like one did for us, you mean?"

She winces. Even so, Lily agrees. "Yes, I suppose so."

"…We might end up like you and I in our first lifetime," he admits after a beat. "He disapproves of who I spend my time with. It's just Sacbior he's admitted to so far, but I'm sure he's not entirely pleased with Sirius. Sirius doesn't care for Sage, after all."

"What do you mean he doesn't care for Sage?" Lily asks, upset.

Severus shrugs. "He just doesn't. Thinks he's a swot. Don't worry, though. His method for dealing with Sage is surprisingly mature. He grins and bears it because he knows  _I_ care for Sage."

"…That  _is_  surprisingly mature," Lily murmurs, sounding just a tad miffed.

He smirks. "Isn't it? It makes me think he'll grow up not to be such a rash dunderhead this time."

"That'd be lovely," Lily says with a smile of her own.

They laugh. For a moment, things are alright. Of course, it can't stay as such. Severus wants to know– No,  _needs_ to know what Lily said to Remus.

"Sirius mentioned that Remus planned to speak to you about James."

All cheer leaves the girl's face. She's quiet for a time, a finger drifting up to trace imaginary patterns in the grain of the wood desk. Finally, she says, "He's just a boy. I did my best to convey how I feel without ever telling him about my past." She meets his gaze, desperation making them as large as saucers. "Okay?"

He nods. As much as he wants to say he hadn't feared Lily might give away too much, he had. He'd feared greatly that Lily, in the throes of despair, would tell him everything. "Yes, okay," mumbles Severus.

Lily relaxes marginally. Some of her fears put to rest. After taking a shuddery breath, she starts, "I told him – Remus – that I've liked James a long time. Since early second year. That I thought he was smart and funny and caring. I said if he was dating anyone else, I'd be able to be happy for James. But this is  _Petunia_. My sister! To watch him receive letter after letter–" Tears in her eyes, Lily warbles, "Severus, I just couldn't understand why'd he pick  _her_ when I'm right here!"

Quietly, he asks, "Did Remus have any ideas on why he chose 'Tuney over you?"

"Yes," she sniffs. "They're still very good mates in this lifetime, you know? I'm pretty sure James knows about Remus's furry problem. Anyway, it's not me. Which I guess I feel better about. James… James looks at me, at you, and he sees we're close. Remus says he definitely likes me. But He respects you. Me. And since you're a boy, and I'm a girl–"

"–The bloody idiot thinks we're a couple for no other reason than  _that_?" Severus demands, annoyed and angry on Lily's behalf.

She puts up her hands in a helpless motion. "He's fourteen. Fourteen-year-olds sometimes have silly notions about girls and boys being friends." A bit misty-eyed again, she says, "It's just something I'm going to have to wait for him to outgrow. He's more grown up and like the James I married already than he ever was in our first lifetime, but he's still just a boy." Then, quieter, she admitted, "I know you must hate all of this talk about James. It's why I've not said anything about what's going on until now."

Severus nods. He's rather glad Lily's done her best to keep her James troubles to herself. Up until the 'Tuney issue, it's worked quite well from what he can tell. But… "Thank you. I really do think the less Jame-talk is better for the both of us. However, if there's a problem you're having with James that leaves you so bothered you can't focus on anything else, I will listen. Want to, even." He smiles at her. "Can't say I'll have much to say back, though."

Lily giggles. "Okay," she says. "You don't know how much it means to hear that."

He looks away, embarrassed. "What kind of mate would I be if I couldn't do even that for you?"

"Still a very good one," Lily assures. Then, expression shifting to something a little more hesitant, she tells him, "As important as talking about James was during my heart-to-heart with Remus something else came up that I think we should talk about."

Severus frowns. "Oh?"

His friend stares at him for a moment, indecision in her eyes.

"What?" he demands, tired of the way she's looking at him.

Quietly, Lily says, "Remus says you fancy me."

Severus freezes, words sticking to the back of his throat. He wants to run for the door. Rejection is something Severus is far from ready to accept.

Lily smiles tentatively. "I know I've said before I have some small romantic feelings for you… And, I was thinking, if Remus is right, I might like to– I don't know, strengthen them, I guess."

"What about James?" croaks Severus.

Her lip wobbles for a moment. "I won't lie, I love him. He was my husband, the father of my baby… But he's gone. The James here, James now, he doesn't look at me like the way you do sometimes. He might never look at me that way. I'd like to move on." She reaches across the table and grasps his hand. "With you, if you're willing."

Severus stares at their hands. This is a dream come true. Yet, it doesn't feel like it. Instead, Severus feels second best. Again. It's a bitter knowledge, but he knows if James were to somehow remember their last lifetime right now, Lily would run back into his arms in a heartbeat. Taking his hand away from the girl, he shakes his head.

"No," he tells her. "No, I can't do that. I always hoped you might return my feelings someday, but I don't want things like this. I'm not going to be your second choice." Getting to his feet, he points an angry, accusing finger at Lily. "You shouldn't want me just because you can't have James! I love you, Lily. Always wished we could have been more than friends, but I never–  _would_ never settle for another just because I couldn't have you!"

Stricken, she only stares at him with wide, horrified eyes. "That's not why I want to be with you," she denies. "I want to be with you because of  _you._  You're the very best friend I've ever had. I love you." Reaching for him beseechingly, she continues, "I just never realized how much you cared about me until Remus pointed it out."

He crosses his arms and looks away. "My answer is still no. I can't do this, not now."

Lily wilts. She's quiet for a time, and then, softly, tells him, "I understand."

"This… This isn't going to cause problems for us, is it?" Severus finally asks. He's sure it will, no matter what Lily says, but he wants to know what Lily's mindset on things is.

She shakes her head. "No," she answers. "You're still my best friend." When Lily reaches for his hand, he lets her take it. Expression serious, she tells him, "We  _can't_ let this cause a problem. It's just me and you, remember? We have to make the world a better place. The best way to do that is together."

After a moment, he gives her hand a squeeze. He's relieved and proud to see that Lily has her priorities straight. The world's future will always come before theirs, be it together, or separate from one another. Severus is happy she realizes that too.

-o-O-o-

Despite claims that Severus's rejection of Lily won't change things, it does. Just as Severus expected. Instead of spending almost every waking moment in each other's company, they put some space between them. Severus spends more time Sage alone than he has since the summer. They study together in their common room, rather than in their usual stomping grounds, the library.

When he does seek Lily out (because he can't help but feel a little guilty for refusing her offer to be more than just friends), he finds her in the company of Remus most of the time. Or, sometimes, the girls in her year. Things are awkward and a little strained, but Severus feels with every encounter they have that their relationship is slowly mending. He hopes once Christmas hols are over everything will be normal between them once more.

While Severus is confident his issues with Lily will work themselves out with time, he cannot say the same for his problems with his mother or Demitri. During the middle of October, he receives a letter from his mother.

_Dear Severus,_

_I know who killed your father. You must be careful. Even more careful than I warned you to be at the start of the year. His sister walks Hogwarts's halls._

_Mum_

It's exasperating how she decides when she's going to write to him and the way she picks the topic too. Tearing the parchment up and tossing it into the remnants of his porridge. He looks up from his work only to see Sage staring at him with a lifted eyebrow. "Mum," he answers. "She's being as cryptic as ever."

"What she write to you about?" his brother asks.

Severus shifts uneasily. While they've caught the tail end of breakfast and most of their house has left for their classes or to do other things, there are still some students at the table. Finally, he says, "About Dad. She figured out who did it."

"She did?" asks Sage, surprise evident in the way both eyebrows shoot halfway up his forehead.

He nods. "We'll see what comes of it soon enough, I'm sure."

The boy's expression turns to one of unease. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Severus replies curtly. "Come on, we need to go. I don't need another detention on top of whatever one I'm surely going to receive already by being late to Defense too."

-O-

Severus knows the moment he passes the threshold of the classroom he is not going to like today's lesson  _at all._ The desks are pushed to either side of the room, and at the front, stands Demitri beside a rattling crate. Students gossip amongst themselves and from their whispers, a single word stands out:

_Boggart._

His grandfather has a bloody boggart in the crate. Severus seeks out Lily among the Gryffindors. It doesn't take him long at all to find her. Much like Severus, she is looking for him. Her face is wan and just a shade away from scared. He nearly walks right back out of the classroom. However, before he can, Demitri is beside him, closing the door to the classroom.

"Cutting it a bit short, aren't you, lads?" he asks.

Sage looks at his feet as Severus frowns.

He sighs. "Go on, join the others," he tells them. "We'll be starting in a minute."

Grudgingly, Severus moves forward. He melts into the group of Slytherins, Sage's shoulder brushing against his own. His grandfather walks back to the front of the room. He scans over their curious, attentive faces and nods to himself. "Today, we have a very special lesson. This one will prepare you far more than anything else I can throw at you in preparation for the dueling tournament we will be holding post-Christmas holidays." Chest puffed out, Demitiri declares, "Today, we will learn about boggarts." He looks around with great exaggeration. "Does anyone know what boggarts do?"

To Severus's left, Wiliam Wilkes raises his hand.

Demitri dips his chin in the boy's direction.

"They take on the shape of a witch or wizard's greatest fear and scares them."

The old man smirks. "That is correct. Five points to Slytherin." Then eyes darting over the faces of the rest of the students, he asks, "Does anyone know how to defend themselves against boggart should they encounter one?"

"You use the enchantment  _riddikulus_  while imagining something that makes you laugh," Remus calls out.

Demitiri does not look pleased with the Gryffindor, but he nods his head nonetheless. "Yes," he replies. "That is how you protect yourself from a boggart." Before he returns his attention to the rattling crate, he warns, "Next you have an answer, Mister Lupin, please remember to raise your hand."

Out of the corner of his eye, Severus can see him blush. Remus never did take well to public scoldings from their professors growing up.

Wand out now, his grandfather asks, "Seeing as we now know not only how boggarts work, but how to defend ourselves from them, who would like to volunteer to face it first?"

Not a hand goes up. Demitri sighs at this. Then, his gaze locks on Severus. "How about you, Mister Snape?" he asks.

Severus's heart stops. He doesn't want this man to know his greatest fears. It's not  _safe_ for him – or anyone else – to know. However, there is no way Severus can say no. Not unless he wants to look like a coward, earn a detention, and to lose a sizeable amount of house points. With great reluctance, he moves to the front of the group.

"Thank you, Mister Snape," his grandfather says.

Drawing his wand, his grandfather undoes all of the charms he has on the crate. The moment the last is removed, out of the crate bursts Nagini. As he jumps out of the way of its striking distance, several students behind him scream, just as terrified as he. Gripping his wand so tightly he's sure the wood will crack, Severus turns to face Nagini. Staring into her yellow-gold eyes, Severus tries to think of something,  _anything_ , that's even half way funny.

Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind. After a life and half of hardships, he really shouldn't feel so surprised. When was the last time he had something to laugh at? Other than the absurdity of his situation, anyway. Blood thrumming in his ears, he can just barely hear Demitiri shouting at him to cast a  _riddikulus._  While Severus desperately tries to think of anything funny, his concentration is broken when Nagini changes into a werewolf. A new wave of fear overcoming him, he narrowly misses a swipe from the beast's paw. He ducks and twists away several more times before a hazy idea starts to formulate in the back of his mind.

Before the boggart can shift into anything more telling (like  _Voldemort's_ grinning countenance), Severus raises his wand ready to cast the enchantment. However, he hasn't so much as uttered a syllable when a pair of hands shove him out of the way of the werewolf's chomping maw.

Almost instantaneously, the boggart shrinks and morphs into tiny, dead baby. A baby Severus recognizes far too easily. Turning his head, he sees Lily beside him. Tears are dripping off her chin. Green eyes bright, she warbles, " _Riddikulus_." The dead, infant-Harry Potter turns into a shaggy black dog riding a motorcycle. Lily begins to laugh and soon enough, the class joins in. The boggart withers and disappears, leaving them safe once more.

Looking a little flustered, Severus's grandfather comes to stand in front of them. "As you can see, defeating a boggart is not always an easy task…" he says to the class. With the two of them hidden from the rest of the class behind Demitri's back as he lectures, Severus snags Lily's hand and gives it a short squeeze. She offers a watery, grateful smile.

Severus has a good feeling that the awkwardness between him and Lily will be gone much sooner than he expected. And for that, he is very thankful Demitiri forced him to face the boggart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	49. Expanding: VII

With Christmas holidays just over a month away, Severus and Sage received near-identical letters from Boyd one Thursday morning. Opening them, they find it full of information on his wedding. Things they need to know now and to prepare for the wedding day. Sage leans over the Slytherin table and points at a line toward the bottom. "So, our Hogsmeade weekend is spent."

"Oh?" Severus mutters, skimming through his letter until he finds mention of something weekend or Hogsmeade related. Shortly, he finds a paragraph worth reading in-full. It says:

_…Violet has visited Gladrags Wizardwear and given them patterns of the style of dress-robes she wants to be made for you two to wear at the wedding. Fabric samples as well. All you two need to do is head in and let them take your measurements and so they can make the robes for you. (Severus, in your envelope I have included a picture of the robe and a sample of the main fabric. Do make sure the seamstresses of Gladrags follow the directions to a T. They have a passion for adding "quirk" to an outfit and Violet will wring my neck if you show up at the wedding in anything even an iota different than what she planned. I'd give this task to Sage as my usher, but I fear out of two teenage boys you're the more intimidating – Do not tell him I wrote you that)._

Mildly, Severus looks up from his letter. He hands it over to Sage, amused. The boy, curious, takes it and reads snorts. "I don't care," he says. "If he wants you to be the one to make sure they follow directions, you can do it."

The boy, curious, takes it and reads it. He snorts. "I don't care," he says. "If he wants you to be the one to make sure they follow directions, you can do it."

Severus frowns. "You just want them to fuss at you and let me be the bad guy."

"Exactly," replies Sage with an unrepentant smirk. Abruptly, his brother lifted his gaze to something behind Severus. "Hello, Clara," he says.

Barely stopping himself from jumping out of his seat, Severus twists his body around to see the seventh-year staring at them with a piece of parchment clutched in her hand. "Hi?" he greets.

She blushes. "I'm sorry to do this, but… May I come with to be fitted for our outfits for the wedding? Violet suggested I go with you two because she's afraid Gladrags's will try and add a 'twist' to my gown."

"Sure," Sage agreed for them. Flashing Severus an impish look, he remarks, "Severus can be the bad guy for the all of us."

He does his best not to wince. Even if his brother means "bad guy" in a playful manner, Severus can't say he cares to be called such after years of being viewed as one.

Clara looks unconvinced. "Is it truly alright, Severus?"

"Yes." Severus nods, offering a small, reassuring smile.

She finally relaxes. "I'll meet you two here Saturday morning," Clara tells them.

-o-O-o-

They quickly find out Gladrags's is short-staffed when they walk in late Saturday morning. The two seamstresses on duty apologize profusely and quickly get to work by taking all of their measurements. Then, after offering two chairs to them, they tell Severus, Sage, and Clara to pick amongst them who shall get outfitted first. Clara insists it be one of them and Severus suggests Sage go so he can monitor and ensure things are made according to the pattern Boyd supplied them with.

With that settled, Sage steps up to have his dress-robe made by the two seamstresses as Clara and Severus take a seat a yard or so away from them. They are quiet for a time, Severus watching like a hawk as the seamstresses speed through making Sage a dress-robe. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Clara cross and uncross her legs. Finally, she locks her ankles together and puts her hands in the middle of her lap.

"Do you remember the first Slugclub party well?"

Severus can't stop his face from burning with embarrassment. "Unfortunately," he mutters.

He can just barely see her duck her head to hide a smile. "You were a sweet drunk."

"Sure," he snorts.

"You were," Clara asserts. Then, after a moment of what he can only call hesitation, she says, "You insisted – quite strongly at that – I give Benjy a try. We've had several friendly conversations since the party and… He's asked me out on a date. But I fear it getting back to my father if we go out together here in Hogsmeade."

Severus drums his fingers across his thigh in a thoughtful pattern. "I may have an idea," he tells her. "Unfortunately, the ones who may be able to help with this plan are not exactly on good terms with me at the moment." He thinks unhappily of Sirius, and, by extension, the rest of the Marauders. Since the Defense class where his fear of werewolves was revealed, Remus has found ways to avoid so much as being within three feet of him, let alone speaking to Severus. As for Sirius, he eyes him suspiciously and is terse when they speak to one another.

He knows the Gryffindor is afraid he's seen Remus on the full moon. Which, yes, he has. But not in  _this_ lifetime. He also has no plans to out the boy. Severus isn't afraid of  _Remus_ , after all. Just his werewolf. And all other witch and wizards' werewolves by extension. Because he's unsure of if he's seen Remus or if this is just a fear stemming from something else, Sirius doesn't know what to say. Do. Severus is beginning to think he's just going to have to start the conversation for them.

Sirius is afraid to broach the topic and, admittedly, that's probably his fault. Severus does get tetchy when certain subjects come up. Lily has told him in the past he shouldn't be so irritable when they hit a no-go zone with him, since it's not like the boys know it's a sensitive issue with him. Up until now, he's not agreed. After all, if he's not annoyed or angry, how are they ever going to know it's a topic he doesn't like?

Severus should have listened when Lily suggested he instead blatantly change the subject.

Clara makes a noise of disappointment. "I'm sorry to hear that. Are these ones you're having issues with those Gryffindor friends of yours? I've noticed you've spent quite a bit more time with Sage and those two younger years this past month."

"It's Sirius," answers Severus after a moment. What does he have to lose? Clara's going to be disgraced and disowned in another year or two. She'll make for a perfect test subject. "Lily and I are… Fine."

She nods. "Why are things poorly between you two?"

"Did Professor Prince have you face off against boggarts in Defense class as well?" he asks.

"Yes," she answers, a bit puzzled.

He hums. "It was after that lesson. One of the shapes the boggart took when I faced off against it was a werewolf. I think perhaps he may fear I was bitten or scratched by one," Severus fibs.

Clara turns her head and raises an eyebrow. "I assume that is not the case?"

"Quite," Severus agrees. Considering what to say next, what lies to go with, he finally settles on, "I read a book once. I was very small then and it had several graphic pictures of werewolves." He kicks his feet a little, trying to look a bit ashamed, maybe shy, as he mumbles, "And the rest was history."

She frowns. "Why don't you just tell him?"

He looks at her. "What if he doesn't believe me? Being afraid because of a  _book_  is a pretty silly reason."

"No, it's not," Clara assures. "I've been afraid of heights since I saw Adam fall out of a tree he was climbing when I was a little girl." She hides a bashful smile behind her hand. "It's why I barely scraped by flying class my first year with a poor."

Severus grimaces. "I hope your fear has lessened since then?"

"As long as it's someone else steering it, I can fly on a broom," Clara explains.

He nods. "You really think he'll believe me?" he asks.

"Most definitely," Clara insists.

Pleased that his lie worked on the young woman (who Severus suspects to be far more clever than Sirius given her time in Slytherin) he smiles. "I'll try and find him later this weekend to talk about it. After, I'll see if he can't help you with that date Fenwick wants to go on with you."

She lights up. "Thank you, Severus."

He waves it off. "It's no trouble," he says. "You helped me quite a bit just now."

His robe finished (and matching the pattern to a T), Sage steps away from the seamstresses and spins around for them. "What do you think?" the boy asks.

"It's very dashing," Clara assures. She looks at Severus out of the corner of her eyes. "I'm sure you'll be just as handsome in it."

Severus scoffs. "I highly doubt it."

-o-O-o-

Monday afternoon comes around quickly. Spotting Sirius on his own outside the charms classroom, Severus seizes on the chance. Speeding over to the Gryffindor he greets, "Hello."

Sirius steps back. "'Lo," he says back.

Not interested in beating around the bush any longer, he tells the boy, "I do know you've been avoiding me lately."

"No, I haven't," Sirius denies.

Severus rolls his eyes. "Sirius."

He sighs loudly. "Fine."

"Why? You've been off since the Defense class with the boggart."

The boy shifts uneasily. "It's not you."

"Was it the werewolf? I haven't been attacked by one or anything."

Sirius eyes him warily. "Really. Your fear of one was very accurate."

Severus frowns. "There was this book I read when I was small. The pictures were very detailed and precise." He feigns embarrassment and turns his gaze to a suit of arms off to the side. "I read it and have been rather – stupidly – afraid since."

"Didn't you grow up Muggle?" Sirius asks.

His gaze snaps back. Crossing his arms in annoyance at what Severus can only guess is doubt in Sirius's tone, he says, "So? Mother was still a witch. She  _did_ bring some magical things with her to the Muggle world."

"A book on  _werewolves_?"

He scowls. "Forget it." He begins to stalk away, half-hoping Sirius will come after him, and half-dreading he won't.

Thankfully, he does. "Wait!" he calls.

After a moment, Severus does. He turns and looks at his friend. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry," he replies, looking very much like a dog who knows it's done wrong. "I've just never been terrified of something I read about in a  _book_ of all things."

Severus rolls his eyes. "Just because  _you_ haven't doesn't mean everyone else is the same."

"I  _know_ that, okay? Merlin!" Sirius grumbles.

He lets a moment of silence stretch on between them. "Are we fine now?" he finally asks.

"Yes," Sirius agrees. "I should have just asked in the first place instead of getting all… Y'know," he says, making a strange, indecipherable motion with his hands. But even so, Severus understands what he means.

Severus hums his agreement. Finally, he asks, "This probably is a poor time to bring it up, but do you think you can help a Slytherin mate of mine?"

Sirius takes an uneasy step back. "It's not Scabior, is it?"

"No," he replies, huffing out an annoyed breath. Why is it everyone else seems to think he's a lost cause? "It's  _Clara_."

The boy relaxes instantly. "Parkinson, right? What does she need?"

"There's this Gryffindor…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	50. Expanding: VIII

He drives his elbow into Sirius's face. "Back  _up_!" he growls.

Sirius only shoves him in return – which moves Severus a lot more than his elbow ever moved Sirius. Damn the Black heir and his extra height and weight. " _You_ back up!" he grumbles. "I'm the one who convinced James to let me lend them his invisibility cloak!"

"I made the lanterns so they'll be able to see each other's bloody faces when they reach the spot!" Severus argues back.

The boy snorts. "Why you gloat about that, I don't know. You made their  _mood_ lighting. It's so girly."

Severus flushes angrily. "Is not!" he snapped. "I had to sneak into Slughorn's stores to find the glow worms." He crosses his arms. "I risked getting another detention. What did  _you_ risk, you cowardly prat?"

Sirius's face screws up with anger-tinged irritation. However, before he can unleash it on Severus, Lily squeezes in right between them. "Did they reach the spot yet?" she asks.

Severus stretches his neck as far as he can to peer out the slit of a window. "No," he answers. "I don't see the glow of their lantern."

"I hope they like the spread I managed to get the house elves to put together for them," Lily frets.

Severus smiles at her. "Who doesn't like empire biscuits?"

Before Lily can reply, Sirius nearly jumps halfway out the window. "I see the lantern!"

"Sirius!" yelps Lily as she grabs his robe. "You'll fall out!" she cries, tugging on the larger Gryffindor hard.

The fabric of Sirius's robe taut, he stays where he is for a moment. Then, almost as if he's humoring Lily, he falls back quick and heavy as if her pulling worked to reign him in. He beams a flippant grin at her. "Hogwarts  _is_ warded against that kind of thing, you know."

Displeased Lily childishly sticks out her tongue. "I'm sorry, next time I'll just twiddle my thumbs while you throw yourself out the window."

"Thanks!" Sirius chirps annoyingly.

Severus rolls his eyes and shoves the other out of the way once more. This time, Sirius lets him. Peering out, Severus reaches into his pocket for his telescope. He can't see much but the dim light of their lantern as things are. Once he's got his telescope situated, he points it the direction of Clara and Benjy's light.

"You brought your  _telescope_?" Sirius asks, amused. "What are you? A voyeur?"

Before Severus can so much as twist around to whack his friend upside the head, Sirius lets out a painful yelp. "Merlin! That's my hair, you bint!"

" _I'm_ the one who asked him to bring his telescope in the first place!" Lily snaps. "If Sev's a voyeur, then so am I! And I'm  _not_!"

Severus doesn't bother to hide his laughter.

Sulkily, Sirius demands, "How was I supposed to know that?"

Readjusting the telescope so he can better see the shadowy figures of Benjy and Clara, Severus tells him, "Perhaps you should learn to speak more kindly."

The boy makes a noise that Severus likes to think is a hum of agreement.

Lily sidles up beside him and asks, "How do they look? Are they sitting close together?"

"Fine," Severus answers. "Ah, one of them just leaned in toward the other." He stares a while longer, waiting, watching for them to separate. Eventually, they do. "I think they were snogging."

"Let me see," Lily demands, fingers brushing his as they wrap around the hilt of his telescope.

Severus lets it go and pulls away. A couple of moments later, Lily gasps. "I didn't think Clara knew how to be so forward."

"What? What?" Sirius demands, trying to take the telescope from the girl.

Lily refuses outright. "Nope, no, not in your lifetime," she says. Collapsing the telescope back down, she hands it to Severus. Cheeks a little flushed, she tells him, "I think they're just fine."

Severus smirks. "Caught an eyeful, did you?"

She glares at him.

Finally, he sighs. "Let's go. We don't want Filch or his damn cat to find us."

-o-O-o-

Even though he doesn't need to. Probably shouldn't, either, Severus waits in the common room for Clara. Half past one, he hears the portrait move aside and let someone in. Putting his head in his hands to wait, he smirks when he sees her ruffled form come into view.

"How was it?" he asks.

Clara's face turns pink as she smiles and looks away. "Brilliant. I'd give up my magic for another night like that."

He raises an eyebrow. "Fenwick's that good, is he?"

She turns crimson. "That's not what I meant," she says. "We did, but…" she sighs, a little smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "He said he  _loves_ me."

"What about you? Do you love him?" Severus asks, partially out of curiosity, but mostly to see if this is going to be the beginning of Clara's fall from Pureblood grace.

The young woman's hand goes to her necklace. She's quiet for a time, just toying with the white-gold between her fingers. Finally, she whispers, "Yes. So, so much."

Severus won't be able to say later what compels him to, but he questions, "Enough to give up your family?"

A stricken look overtakes Clara's countenance. "That's what's going to happen, isn't it? I'm going to have to choose."

He looks at his bare toes and then back at her. "If you don't, one of them will."

"You don't… I have time, don't I?" she asks, a pleading lilt to her tone.

Severus lifts his head out his hands and nods. "Some," he agrees. "Some."

Tears now building in the corners of her eyes, Clara takes a shuddering breath. She smiles at him. "Thank you," she whispers. "Good night, Severus."

"G'night," he returns.

He then watches the Parkinson girl leave for her dorm. When he is alone once more, Severus hides his face in his hands. Silently, he asks himself, 'Why did I have to ruin her night?'

-o-O-o-

Severus knows it's a bad idea. Has since he first received his mother's letter, even, but he  _has_ to know. Just how much has Severus's mother shared with the man? Waiting just outside the door to his grandfather's classroom as Ravenclaw and Gryffindor sixth years file out, Severus fingers the worn edges of his mother's last letter to him.

He's tried to write her back several times since she sent her warning, but never could bring himself to actually send her his letters. He doubts she'll tell him who the killer is in a letter, or who their sister is, or how his father was killed, either. Nor has Severus been able to pretend it's not on his mind in the aborted letters he's written to her. Even when he tries to just focus on telling her about the banalities of Hogwarts life, it's always derailed into demands for more information on what she's discovered.

(The worst part, despite him refusing to do more than acknowledge the possibility, is that she could be wrong. The madness that's overtaken her since his father's murder may have finally gotten the better of her. The killer she thinks she's found might all be just a figment of her mental mind. And if that's the case, the last thing Severus wants to do is encourage it).

When the last student hurries past Severus to catch up with a small group of lingering students just down the corridor, Severus squares his shoulder and strolls into Demitri's classroom.

The man, who sits behind his desk, a student's essay in hand, sighs. He puts down the parchment and steeples his hands in front of him. "Hello, Mister Snape," he says. "What has brought you here? You've served your detention already with me this week."

The key word being detention and not detenion _s_. Since the boggart mess, his grandfather has been almost lenient with Severus. Perhaps the man feels guilty, perhaps he's trying to make Severus thinks he is, but whatever the reason, Severus doesn't trust Demitri to let it continue much longer.

"Has Mum written you lately?" he asks.

His grandfather eyes him for a moment. "Yes," he answers.

Severus hands the man his last letter from his mother. "This is what she last wrote me."

He watches the man's eyes read and, then, re-read the warning. Finally, he gives it back to Severus. There's a pained set to his mouth when he says, "Your mother has not shared with me that she identified your father's murderer."

"Oh?"

Demitri doesn't look away when he asks, "Has she said anything else on the matter?"

He shakes his head. "No. I haven't heard from Mum since I received this letter."

"When did she send this warning?"

Severus tries to hide his unease. "…Over a month ago."

The man can't hide his astonishment. "A  _month_?"

"I don't think she's hurt or anything if that's what you're worried about," Severus explains in a hurry. "Aunt Vesta has written me several times since I received Mum's letter. She mentioned finally getting a hold of her long enough to visit Madam Malkin's together to have gowns and robes made for Boyd's wedding."

Severus scowls. The surprise on Demitri's face now looks much more like pity. He doesn't know why and doesn't appreciate it either. "What?" he demands.

"Do you often have such long stretches between letters from your mother?" he asks.

He sputters. " _That's_ what you're concerned about right now? How often she  _writes_?"

"I've gotten two letters from her in the last week and a half – And only one was about her investigation into your father's murder. The other was fully about the mundanities of life with Vesta."

Severus is speechless. Then, with a feeling of crushing guilt and hurt, he says, "It's my own fault. I never wrote back after her warning."

"She's the adult. She should be reaching out to you, not the other way around," Demitiri tells him.

He ignores what his grandfather says and pleads (loathe he to call it such), "Don't write to Mum about this. She knows I don't like discussing Dad with her. I reckon she hasn't written because she didn't want to upset me when I have school to focus on. I can't be the top of my year if she's constantly bothering me with him." His grandfather tries to place a hand on his shoulder. Severus sidesteps the touch and glares up at the old man. "Don't," he hisses.

"Son–"

"I am  _not_ your son!" Severus cuts in, vicious and loud.

The old man's hand falls to his side. "I'm well aware," he replies in a level tone. "If you were, you'd know how to mind your elders."

Severus scoffs. Then, after a moment, brings a hand to wipe away the tears he feels trickling down his nose. "If I  _were_ , I'd have run away a half dozen times by now."

Demitri flinches.

Despite himself, he feels bad for the old man. That was (an unintentional) low blow. "Professor," he murmurs, "I didn't mean–"

"If that's all, Mister Snape, I think it best you leave now."

He sighs. "Sir–" he tries, only to be cut off by a finger pointing him toward the door. A feeling of defeat washing over him, Severus slinks out of the room. The feeling of his grandfather's hard stare needling the back of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	51. Expanding: IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "They Didn't Know We Were Seeds" is finally the first fic in a series! There's also a second story to the series ("Rubble Flowers") now posted. That story is a sequel to TDKWWS called "Cross-Pollination". Be warned, though, despite how far-off from now the sequel is set, there are still some minor spoilers for TDKWWS.

Severus doesn't have a chance to talk things through with his grandfather before the holidays are upon them. To no fault of the old man's this time. Severus avoids him. He doesn't look his way during Defense classes, watches his every move to make sure not a single detention can be assigned to him, and the one time the man tries to ask him to stay after, he purposefully downs a bottle of ink to make himself ill. He's quite sure his grandfather caught onto that, though. His half-digested lunch  _was_ coated in black.

After that incident, however, Demitiri lets him be (which is all Severus wants right now). Yet even if he's not bothering him, he obviously did not let what little was said between them be forgotten. A short time after the disaster of a meeting with his grandfather he receives his first letter from Mum in months. And it's a real letter, full of fluff about this and that going on in the world outside the stone walls of Hogwarts, a snippet or two about Aunt Vesta, a mention of some preparations that Boyd has come by the Montague manor to make for his wedding. It ends with a short series of questions for him and a final note on how "someone" reminded her she might like to write her son more now that it's an option and she's very sorry if she gave him the impression that she doesn't care about him.

Severus senses a bit of passive-aggressiveness in the last bit, but he lets it go in favor of just marveling over a whole parchment sheet of his mother's writing. There's not a single mention of Dad in it. Severus thinks he'll keep this one tucked away in the hidden compartment of his trunk. He chances a look in the old man's direction. His gaze is passive and focused on the cup of tea sitting in front of him. All the same, Severus is sure Demitiri knows. To thank him, he makes a show of folding up the letter and tucking it away in the inside pocket of his robe, and, then, he smiles.

He can't be certain, but he thinks the old man's lips lifted with the smallest of grins.

-o-O-o-

A few days later Lily and Severus are on the Express waiting for it to take off for London. In a few hours, they will be separated. Lily will be going home with the Evans to Cokeworth and Severus to the Montague Manor with Sage and their mothers. Lily swings her feet as Severus thumbs through a text on magical reptiles. Severus can safely say he appreciates the quiet. Even if it's only for the moment.

As they were boarding the Express fifteen minutes ago, a pig-tail wearing Ravenclaw firstie approached, Severus, Lily, and Sage. She asked if Sage wouldn't mind helping her find her rat – which had escaped the cage clutched against her round stomach. Sage, far too polite for his own good when it came to girls, had agreed. The girl never requested Severus or Lily's help. So, with a shared look of knowing amusement, they left the two to find the firstie's rat, Pippi.

Once Sage remembered the incantation for the locator spell, he'd come find their compartment and join them. Perhaps the girl would join them even, depending on deeply she fancied Sage, anyway.

Unfortunately for Severus, Lily's tolerance for silence is much smaller than his own. Eyes still on the world outside, she asks, "Is your grandfather going to be at Boyd's wedding?"

Suspicious of the question, Severus bends down the corner of the page he's on in his book and puts it aside. "Yes," he answers. "Or at least Aunt Vesta has made it sound like he is."

She turns to look at him. "Will you talk to him there?"

"…About what?" he returns, not entirely sure he knows what she's on about or if he likes it.

Lily shrugs. "Your mum? At the very least you should thank him for getting her to finally write you a half-way decent letter."

Severus relaxes slightly. "Do you think so?" he asks. "It's been a bit since I got her letter."

"Better late than never, I reckon!" she replies with a smile.

Severus falls quiet for a moment. "Perhaps," finally he says.

Before anymore can be said on the topic, the door to the compartment slides open. An uneasy looking Sage steps in. "'Lo," he greets. Glancing back, he asks, "Is it alright if Phyllis sits with us?"

Lily nods. "Yes, of course!" Jumping to her feet, she goes to greet the girl (not quite) hiding behind Sage. "Lily Evans, nice to meet you!"

Juggling her now occupied rat-cage into the crook of her elbow, the girl offers a crooked smile and takes Lily's offered hand. "Phyllis Tuft! The pleasure is all mine!"

Severus recognizes the name. Or her surname to be more specific. He's quite sure her grandmother was the Minister of Magic at one point. A well respected one at that. Scratching a little deeper into his wealth of knowledge he begins to believe her father, or maybe her uncle, was also a Minister for a time. Whoever followed after her grandmother, Severus is sure they were kicked out after they tried to start some kind of controversial program. What Phyllis's future holds, Severus doesn't know. Whatever it was, he's certain she never got tied up in either side of the war.

He looks at Sage and quirks an eyebrow.

The boy sheepishly mouths back, "Couldn't shake her."

Severus rolls his eyes. "Of course not," he wants to say. If Sage has any virtues, it's he's  _not_ an arsehole to girls. Especially ones younger than himself. Or, at least, he isn't most of the time. But it also comes with the vice of being a doormat. The boy couldn't say no even if you threatened to kick him in the bloody nads should he say yes. So, instead, Severus opts for picking up his book and ordering, "Come take a seat next to me, Sage."

Phyllis Tuft's smile slips into a pout the moment Sage leaves her side to join Severus. Silently, he thinks to himself, 'This is going to be a long train ride.'

-O-

His mother's not there when they reach the station. Aunt Vesta is. Boyd too, despite having a wedding in less than a week from now. Severus says a quick goodbye to Lily and waves at the Evans before he and Sage join the older Montagues. The pair stare at him with pitying eyes and say, "Your mother has fallen ill."

Severus looks between them. "With what?" he finally asks.

"We don't know," Aunt Vesta finally answers. "I took her to St. Mungo's early this morning."

He frowns. "When did she become ill?"

Boyd looks at his mother. Aunt Vesta's gaze turns distant as she focuses her attention on the families reuniting for hols around them. Severus can't help but think they must be the most unhappy of all of the families gathered. Idly, he wonders if the Montagues were a happier family in his last lifetime without him and his mother sullying everything.

He glances to Sage. Sage smiles tentatively at him. "It'll be okay, Sev," he whispers.

Severus nods. Perhaps they had been. Or perhaps they'd been just as miserable. There's no way he can change anything now and it's best he just focus on making sure all of the Montagues reach the future alive and healthy.

"Shortly before she went to bed," Aunt Vesta finally says, "but after your grandfather visited."

All of the air leaves his lungs. "What?" he croaks.

"Your grandfather. Surely he's mentioned visiting your mother?" Aunt Vesta prompts, a worried furrow coming between her brows. "He's been by several times this month."

Severus immediately inflicts upon himself the blame. If he'd just  _talked_ to the man, he  _would_ know. But he didn't. Now, he looks like a fool and knows nothing about what is going on between them. Quietly, he fibs, "Demitri didn't mention visiting Mum."

Aunt Vesta begins to cluck. "You poor dear. Do you want to visit her right now?" She wraps an arm around his shoulders and brings him flush against her side. He immediately wants to pull away, the smell of her powdery perfume overwhelming Severus. But she only holds tighter when he tries to. "Boyd and Sage can take your things back to the manor for you," the Montague woman tells him.

Reluctantly, he agrees. "Yes, I'd like that." Perhaps he can talk to his mother while he's there. Maybe, if he's lucky and she's not in too foul a mood, she will be willing to share with him what it is that brought his grandfather to her for in-person conversations. Severus has a sinking feeling it's not about him.

-O-

When they arrive at St. Mungo's, Aunt Vesta leads him at a brisk down the white corridors to his mother's room. Nervously, she babbles, "I had to call Boyd to speak to the healer, but I managed to impress upon him how important it is your mother have a room all to herself."

"Thank you," Severus says absently as they pass an old healer in her lurid lime robes reading the day's Daily Prophet. "She does like her privacy."

Aunt Vesta chuckles. "Perhaps a bit too much. She's put wards on her room to keep poor Topper out! He was beside himself when he realized it was impossible for him to go in and clean! I had to stop the poor thing from beating his legs with my good serving spoon."

Severus frowns. "When did she do this?"

"Late September? After you went boys went back to Hogwarts, anyway," replies Aunt Vesta.

His unease only grows. He's sure his mother was trying to negate the possibility of anyone finding her notes on his father's murderer. If she put wards on her room… What is she plotting? How sadistic is the revenge she has planned that she fears a  _House Elf_ will sell her out?

"Ah! Here's her room," the Montague woman exclaims, stopping abruptly in front of a closed door. She walks up and gives the wood a firm knock. There's no muffled answer. Frowning, Aunt Vesta knocks again and then tries for the doorknob. It opens. Poking her head in, she calls, "Eileen?" She sighs. "Wait here, Severus," she tells him before slipping into the room.

Severus, of course, does not. He pushes the door open all of the way and stands on the threshold. He watches Aunt Vesta go to the lone bed where his pale mother is stretched out. She gives Mum a small shake. Mum does not so much as twitch. "Eileen, wake up!" the Montague woman pleads.

Mum doesn't.

Quietly, Severus steps back. Looking down the corridor to the right, he sees no one. When he looks to the left, he, thankfully, spies the healer from earlier. He waves a hand and shouts, "We need help down here!"

The healer hurries toward them. Stopping beside Severus, he gets to stumble back and away from her bug-eyed stare. "What is the problem here?"

"My mum won't wake up," he informs her, pointing into the room where Aunt Vesta shakes Mum desperately now. She's begging brokenly for the younger to "just open her eyes".

The woman sucks in a breath. "Damn," the healer mutters before hurrying into the room and ordering Aunt Vesta to back off. A few moments later, the healer uses a spell to call for another healer. That one, a stout, pig-faced blond, pushes them out of the room and says, "Go sit in the waiting room. We'll inform you if there are any changes or when we know anything."

Severus is not the only one displeased by the man's briskness. Even so, after they share an annoyed look, Aunt Vesta and he go to the waiting room. There, in two metal, uncomfortable chairs, they wait.

Twenty minutes later the bug-eyed healer that Severus called to for help appears. Her white hair is a frazzled mess and she approaches, feet scuffing the marbled floors of St. Mungo's waiting room quietly. "Hello," she starts. "Mrs. Montague? And… Mr. Montague?"

"Snape," Severus corrects.

The healer blinks. "Snape," she repeats. She's quiet for a moment. Then, with a tired exhale, she tells them, "Mrs. Snape is currently stable. But… She appears to have fallen into a coma."

"Why?" Aunt Vesta demands. "She was just fine when I left her this morning. A little tired, but she was awake and talking to myself and my son!"

"We are currently running a number of tests to answer that very question," the healer explains. "I'm very sorry I have nothing more to offer you at this time. The moment we do, I promise someone will come speak to you."

Face red and angry, the Montague woman gets to her feet. "You can contact us at my home," she spits at the healer. "My cousin has had a long day already after his trip home from Hogwarts. He doesn't need to wait in these uncomfortable chairs for  _hours_ while you give us no answer!"

"Aunt Vesta–" Severus tries to break in. He doesn't mind waiting here, actually. In fact, he would prefer it.

The woman throws up a hand. "Hush, Severus!"

He rolls his eyes and settles in to watch her continue her tirade. Once she's calmed down they can probably have a rational conversation about him staying at St. Mungo's while she goes home to Montague Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	52. Expanding: X

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those interested, a one-shot for KnowInsight, the 750th reviewer of TDKWWS on FF.net is posted. It's called "The Magic Word". In addition to their being a new one-shot, there's some awesome fan art by a lovely FF user named Kiger-Neko for TDKWWS I want to share with you guys :) The link to it is:
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/kigernekoart/videos/vb.217396565362871/341847796251080/?type=2&theater

Christmas is far from joyous. Severus's mother is still in hospital and even two days after falling into a coma, the healers still have no answer as to why. When he and the Montagues wake Christmas morning, no one looks out the window to see if the snow the wireless promised is falling and they spend little time enjoying the Christmas tree Topper put up or the extravagant gifts Aunt Vesta put beneath it. Breakfast is a rushed affair and as soon as everyone cleans their plate, Aunt Vesta insists they go spend the rest of the day with Severus's mother.

He, of course, is fine with this. He's worried about his mother and wants to be there in case anything changes or if they figure out why she's in the coma. It feels unfair to Sage, however. His poor brother shifts uncomfortably in his chair and tries to read a book, but is continuously interrupted when Aunt Vesta asks him questions about this and that, trying to fill the silence surrounding them with chatter.

As lunchtime approaches, Severus is about to tell her to cut it out and let Sage be when a knocking starts at the door of his mother's room. They all look in the direction of the door. It opens part-way to reveal Demitiri. Aunt Vesta stands up and goes to him.

"Oh, Uncle Demitri! You're finally here!" she exclaims. "It's just terrible! It's been nearly three days and they still have no idea what's wrong with Eileen."

The old man takes hold of the Montague woman's hands. Gently, he leads her back to her chair. Helping her sit back down, he pats her knee and says, "I'm sure they're doing their best to help Eileen." Eyes more kindly than Severus has ever seen them, he murmurs, "Just as you have."

A feeling of mistrust begins to unfurl in Severus's gut. He doesn't like the way Demitiri is speaking to Aunt Vesta. It's too… Kind. As if he feels guilty about what's happened to Severus's mother.

Rather expectedly, Aunt Vesta begins to tear up. Reaching into the folds of her robes for a handkerchief, she pulls one out and dabs at her eyes. Sniffling, she says, "It's just so unfortunate. This was going to be Eileen's first Christmas with Severus in a few years. And with Boyd's wedding coming up…" she sucked in a shuddering breath. "I fear she won't be well in time for it! I so did want her there with us!"

"Hush, Vesta," Demitiri shushed. "How long have you and lads been here? Perhaps the three of you would like to take a break and go freshen up at home, hm?"

The woman's eyes go to Severus's mother. "You'll stay with Eileen, won't you? I hate the thought of her being here all alone on Christmas."

His grandfather nods. "Yes, of course," he answers. "I feel the exact same way as you." He looks at his daughter, a regretful shape to his frown. "It really is a shame."

Aunt Vesta pockets her handkerchief and gets to her feet. "Boys, let's head home and see if Topper can't whip us up a nice Christmas tea."

Sage eagerly bounces to his feet. "Yes, Mother," he agrees.

As for Severus, he crosses his legs and wraps his arms around himself. "I'll stay here," he says.

"Severus…" Aunt Vesta groans.

He shakes his head. "I have to," he insists. Playing on his cousins' overwrought emotions he bleats plaintively, "I can't leave my mum like this on Christmas."

The woman's face softens greatly. She bends over and plants a kiss to his forehead. "What a good son you are," she praises. "I'll have Topper put something together for you while we're home." Then, expression turning a tad stern, she tells him, "You can stay for lunch, but you will go home for dinner."

Severus counters, "Only if you'll stay with Mum." He glances at his grandfather. "I know you love her nearly as much as I do."

He can see the old man scowling as Aunt Vesta begins to sniffle again. "Of course, dear," she promises.

From the doorway, Sage, book clutched close to his chest, calls, "Bye, Sev."

Severus smiles at his brother. "I'll see you soon," he returns encouragingly.

Sage just frowns, gaze flickering between him and Demitri. Severus finds himself impressed. It's obvious Sage knows something is about to happen even if his mother doesn't. Though, Severus knows Aunt Vesta's failure is not due to a lack of intelligence, but due to being overwhelmed with worry, the mystery of his mother's coma, and pure exhaustion built up from days of fitful sleep. Later, when she is in a better state, she might have questions for Severus, but, for now, it's simply too much for her.

"Be a good lad for your grandfather," Aunt Vesta pleads as she embraces Severus. "I'll tell the healer's assistants to check on you a couple of times while we're gone, alright?"

"Yes, Aunt Vesta," he replies, more amused than anything. He can handle his grandfather just fine.

With no more to say, mother and son leave grandfather and grandson alone with their mother and daughter.

For a couple of minutes, straight silence falls between them. Then, because he can hold it in no longer, Severus says, "I know you visited mother before she fell ill."

His grandfather studies him with an icy gaze. Eventually, he says, "I did."

Severus looks to his mother. She's a sad figure, laid out in her bed. Mum is nearly as white as her sheets and her breathing is so shallow that one has to stare right at her chest to watch for the most minute movements to tell that she is, in fact, alive. Severus cannot know for sure, but he believes it far too convenient that his grandfather visited one day for his mother to fall ill the next. Meeting his grandfather's gaze, Severus squares his jaw and declares, "You did this."

Instead of denying his involvement, Demitiri simply turns his gaze to Severus's mother and says, "She will wake up. Just not for a while."

"Why?"

The old man sighs. "When you showed me your mother's warning to you… I had to know. I started to visit her and convinced her I wanted to help get back at your father's killer – if only because I knew how much it hurt her to have him die."

Severus frowns at the old man. "Mum  _believed_ you?"

"Not at first," he replies.

He nods. It does sound more likely that his mother would not believe Demitiri right from the start. He's curious to know what methods his grandfather did to regain her trust, but, instead, he asks, "What led to this?"

"She told me who killed your father and what her plan to avenge him is," he answers. His face both miserable and grim, Severus's grandfather says, "I couldn't let her do it. It would have ruined us."

" _Us?_ " Severus repeats, confused and annoyed. There is no "us" as far as he's concerned. There are him and his mother and there is Demitri. They are not a unit.

The old man scowls. "Yes,  _us_. If she followed through with killing Adam Parkinson–"

"–Adam  _Parkinson_  killed Dad?" Severus cut in, incredulous. Why in Merlin's name would he have had a part in it?

His grandfather sighs. "Yes. Partly in thanks to your cousin. I'm sure Vesta did not mean to, but… With all her fretting over your mother when she was still living your father, she began to worry Boyd. As you know, I've learned a great deal this past year about what is quickly emerging from the depths of our society. Boyd has a part in it, I am regretful to say."

Severus says nothing to this. It's not a shock to him. He knew already. Doesn't care, either. There's nothing he can do for Boyd at this time so he is best left alone in favor of focusing his efforts on saving Sage.

When Demitiri sees Severus has nothing to say to this, he steeples his hands in his lap and continues, "Boyd went to his social group and asked for help. Adam Parkinson stepped up and agreed to go and 'save' Eileen from her brutish Muggle husband." He chuckles darkly. "Your mother did not want saving. If not for me, Adam would pay for his part in your father's murder in a few days time."

A torrent of futures that could-have-been course through Severus's mind. One where Adam is killed before the wedding and Violet and Boyd are never married and a feud starts between the Parkinsons and Montagues. In another, where Adam is killed post-Boyd and his sister's wedding and after Violet cannot stand to look at her new husband any longer, causing their marriage to be annulled. Yet another future where his mother is caught before she can kill Adam and she's given the Dementor's kiss. A final future where Adam is killed and the Parkinsons find a way to settle things an eye for an eye by murdering Sage or Boyd as retribution. He shivers and thanks the stars that his grandfather had the stomach to stop his mother.

When he can speak again, Severus tells his grandfather, "This won't solve the problem. She'll just look for another opportunity to kill him."

"You don't think I know that?" Demitri demands. "I've known now for  _weeks_  about her plan. At the very least I've bought our family time!"

Severus jumps up from his chair. " _Our_ family?" he decries. Severus points at his mother where she lays in her hospital bed nearly as still as a corpse. "You disowned Mum!"

His grandfather rises to his feet and looms over Severus. "And your damn cousin brought her back!" he spits. Demitri pounds on his chest and roars, "This time it would be her and her family that would pay because of Eileen's poor choices!" He falls quiet for a moment, breathing ragged as he continues to glare at Severus, who scowls steadily back up at his grandfather. There's guilt blooming in his chest (if only he'd never spoken up during that first dinner with Aunt Vesta and her sons), but Severus is far too used to the feeling for it to make him falter in a row. In a tone just a hair quieter than a conversational-voice, Demitiri says, "If she'd managed to kill the Parkinson boy… All of us would have paid for it." His eyes are solemn as he whispers, "Perhaps even with our lives."

Severus can't argue with his grandfather's logic. The man is right. They damn well could have paid with their lives if Mum managed to follow through on her plot to murder Adam Parkinson. Even so, he crosses his arms and asks, "How are you going to stop Mum from doing it later?" He strengthens his glare and hisses, "Because she  _will_."

Mum, like Severus, like  _Demitri_ , is too obstinate for her own good. She will not give up easily and not without a fight.

The old man takes a seat once more. Massaging his temples with his thin fingers, he explains, "I don't have a long-term plan as of yet. I put her in the coma to stop Eileen from ruining the wedding, nothing more." His knobby hands falling to his lap, he looks up at Severus. For the first time, he can really see just how tired his grandfather is. There are dark bruises rimming his eyes and the wrinkles that line his face look far deeper than they did just a couple of weeks ago. "I've considered after she wakes and is out of St. Mungo's obliviating from your mother's mind her discovery of Tobias's murderer and burning all her research on it as well. It should, if Godric's fortune shines upon us, buy a few months, if not longer, to come up with a more permanent way to stop her."

He continues his steady glare for a time. Then, Severus sighs and relents slightly. "I… May have an idea that will end this issue once and for all," he says finally. "But I need to speak to Lily Evans first."

His grandfather's jaw drops. For a moment, he just looks flabbergasted. Then, he regains composure and furrows his brow in suspicion. "Oh really? Why do you need to speak to Miss Evans for this 'idea' of yours?"

"Because what I will have to share for my idea to work is not just mine to tell you."

Demitiri thins his lips into a stubborn line.

Severus shrugs after a time and starts to turn away. "Fine. You can deal with Mum all on your own. Just so you know, whatever you come up with will not be half as effective my plan."

"Alright," his grandfather growls through gritted teeth. "I'll hear your damn plan, you little bastard."

He looks back slightly. "You'll take me to Lily?" asks Severus for confirmation.

Demitri makes a 'come' motion at Severus and says, "Let's make this quick. Your cousin will be back in another hour and she'll have an absolute fit if she finds we've left Eileen alone during her time of need."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	53. Expanding: XI

Petunia answers the door. Her hair is feathered and she wears a red turtleneck paired with what looks to be a new plaid mini skirt. He just barely stops himself from raising an eyebrow. He doubts that Mr. Evans is pleased with it. He wonders how Mrs. Evans managed to talk him down from tanning Petunia's hide. Petunia crosses her arms and frowns at him after a moment of silence. "Why are you here?" she demands, eyes flickering to Demitri hovering not far behind Severus. "Is something wrong? Uncle John's visiting from Australia and Mummy will have an absolute fit if you're here for some silly reason like dropping off a gift."

That explains Petunia's outfit. Lily had told him a couple of times while they were young she spent most Christmas days in her jimjams since her family had no close family to visit and they went to mass on Christmas Eve. "Mum's in a coma," Severus replies. "We're not sure if she'll make it. I just wanted… Can I talk to her for a minute?"

Petunia's expression takes on a slightly wide-eyed look as she nods. "Let me tell Dad and I'll send Lily out."

She steps back and closes the door.

"Lying are we?" Demitri asks.

Severus does not look back. "No. That is a summarized version of what the healers have told us."

He snorts.

The door swings open once more. Lily, dressed in a flowy green dress, says, "Sev!" Then, she notices Demitiri and frowns. "Sev?" she says again, this time with a questioning lift to her words.

"You might want to step out and close the door," he advises.

Uneasily, Lily does so. Once done, she asks, "What's going on?"

"Mum is in a coma," he starts.

Her eyes grow to twice their size and Lily starts, "Oh, Severus! I–"

He puts up a hand to stop her. Then, Severus points to Demitri behind him. "He did it," he tells Lily, "it was to stop Mum from ruining Boyd's wedding."

Lily's face turns into one of total incredulity and confusion. She purses her lips. "Explain."

And Severus does. Demitri tries to interject a couple of times, but when he does, both Lily and Severus glare at him. Severus, because he knows his grandfather doesn't like how he's making him look to Lily and  _that's not important right now_ , and Lily, because he's slowing down Severus's story. As understanding as her parents might be right now of Severus's situation, they aren't going to give her all of the time in the world to talk to Severus when there's an Uncle visiting from out of the country. They don't see the man enough for their daughter to be gone for hours on  _Christmas_ of all days.

When he's done, Severus finishes with, "I have an idea to stop Mum from doing something like this again. But to make it happen, I need my grandfather's assistance. For him to be able to help, he needs to know  _everything_ ," Severus concludes.

She begins to drum her fingers along her thigh. "Can we trust him?" asks Lily.

"We have to. Mum could ruin the Montagues if we don't." He puts his hands out beseechingly. "They don't deserve that. Especially Sage. He could be  _good_."

Her eyes soften a little. "No, they don't," she agrees. She sighs. "I suppose we always knew a day like this would come." She glances at Severus's grandfather. "I just wish it didn't have to be today and not him first."

"I can't agree more," Severus replies empathetically.

Lily pulls Severus into a hard and fast hug. "Send an owl when it's done so I can come help you put an unbreakable vow in place," she hisses in his ear, much to his relief. Severus is relieved she understands that this demand of hers is best only shared with his ears for now. It would surely upset his grandfather and make him demand to know everything right now. When they are apart once more, she smiles as if she said nothing at all. "Good luck. Don't forget to write me later, alright?"

"Of course," Severus answers. "Merry Christmas, by the way."

She laughs. "It's a shame I'd feel like a right bitch if I said the same to you." Opening the door to her home, she concludes, "Bye, Severus. If you can find the time, stop by before we have to go back to Hogwarts. Mum and Dad have been asking after you for a while."

"I'll try," he acquiesces.

When the door to Lily's home closes, Severus turns to his grandfather. "Before I tell you my plan to stop Mum from ruining the Montagues, there's something I need to tell you." He looks around. "But not here."

"Where then?" he demands. "Your cousin is going to be back at St. Mungo's in no time at all now."

He shrugs. "Let's go back to St. Mungo's now and wait for them. You and I can leave for somewhere more private when Aunt Vesta and Sage return."

His grandfather scowls, showing he's highly displeased with Severus's suggestion, but he does not fight it. For just like Severus, he wants a permanent solution to the problem with his mother and Severus is the only one with one that will last and leave his mother's mind more or less intact.

-o-O-o-

It's just as they are sitting down that Aunt Vesta and Sage return with a satchel of food and the presents they didn't have time to unwrap at home. Demitri and Severus accept the food handed to them and pick at it for a few minutes as Aunt Vesta nags Sage into divvying up the presents. Sage obviously doesn't appreciate it and Severus has to wonder if he didn't suggest they leave it at the manor. It would be like him, Severus thinks, to want such a thing. His brother likely fretted it would upset Severus to celebrate in a hospital room while his mother lay in a coma just a few steps away. To show Sage he doesn't mind they're eating and opening presents in front of prone mother, he smiles at his brother and thanks him when he hands him a small shiny silver wrapped box.

Hesitantly, Sage smiles back and relaxes a little as he continues to hand off the present.

For the next hour, Severus takes his time opening the presents and thanking the Montague woman for her thoughtfulness. As he does so, he considers how to best tell his grandfather about his secret and how to prove it at the same time. Slowly, a decent path comes to him (and his grandfather grows more and more annoyed). When all of the presents are finished and he's eaten his fill of the food Aunt Vesta brought, Severus announces, "Demitri and I are going to pop by home."

"What do you mean you two are leaving?" Aunt Vesta cries upon them getting up from their seats. "We just finally settled in!"

Severus doesn't say anything and lets his grandfather handle their cousin. Thankfully, he does it well. "We'll be gone for hardly more than half an hour. Severus just wants to pick up a few things from your home."

Sage, who sits in the chair beside his mother, frowns. " _You're_ taking him Uncle Demitri?"

"Yes," the old man replies in a clipped tone. "We can't very well expect your mother to keep ferrying you boys to your home and back, can we?"

The boy shrinks a little into his seat. Severus shoots a glare at his grandfather. Then, to assure his brother, says, "It's fine, Sage. I asked him to."

He makes a face at him, but otherwise stays silent.

Aunt Vesta, who looks terribly exhausted, sighs heavily. "If it's really alright with you, Uncle Demitri…"

"I assure you it is."

She waves a hand. "Go," she tells them. "Please don't be long. Eileen deserves to have us around her during her time of need."

Demitri reaches over and gives Aunt Vesta's shoulder a squeeze. "We won't," he promises.

-O-

The minute they step through the floo into the Montague's kitchen, Uncle Demitiri summons a chair and pushes Severus into it. "Tell me now what your idea is."

Severus gets up and points at the chair he'd been shoved into just a moment before. "Out of the two of us, it's you who should take a seat."

The old man's nostrils flare with rage. Severus just crosses his arms and waits. After a tense minute, the man concedes and sits down. "Hand me your wand," Severus demands next.

His grandfather narrows his eyes, but reluctantly does so. Severus casts a silent Muffliato charm on the room. He doubts Topper listens in on his masters and mistresses' conversations, but it is better safe than sorry in any case. When Demitri is sitting, Severus breathes in deeply before starting. "I might be able to use a memory of my own to create a false one to replace Mum's memory of Dad's death." He goes onto explain, "It won't change that she spent the better part of the last year looking for his killer, but we can Obliviate the worst of it and perhaps, with the help of Aunt Vesta and everyone, else we can convince her grief simply caused her to block out most of the year or she spent it in bed."

" _You_ will be able to create this false memory?" his grandfather asked after a moment. "You're fourteen. How can you possibly have the skill to do this?" tone taking on a baffled hue, he questioned, "Where does this memory you can manipulate come from?"

"Before I tell you, you deserve to know I will be writing Lily after we finish speaking for her to come and bind you into secrecy with an Unbreakable Vow," Severus tells his grandfather, both to warn him and to put off answering his question.

"How in Merlin's name is she going to get here? She's fourteen and her family is a bunch of Muggles!"

Severus purses his lips. "She knows how to apparate."

" _How_?" Demitri demands, voice raising in volume.

Heart beating a war-drum anthem against his ribcage, Severus very quietly answers, "She and I lived before."

His grandfather stares at him. He looks as if he might be on the cusp of believing Severus is having a laugh at his expense or believing Severus is serious. Finally, he seems to settle on serious (thank Merlin) and he croaks, "What?"

"Before this, we lived another life. Mine longer than Lily's, but in the same… Universe, if you will. After our respective deaths, we woke up here, both of us ten-years-old."

Obviously struggling to not only hear what Severus is saying, but to understand it, Demitiri then questions, "Were you the same people? This isn't some kind of reincarnation thing is it?"

"Yes, I am and always have been Severus and Lily, Lily. This is not a case of what you'd call traditional reincarnation," answers Severus.

Head in his hands Demitri lets go of decorum and groans. "Good Helga save us all… Why? Why would you two come back?"

Severus licks his lips. There's no right answer. "To do better," he says after a moment.

His grandfather looks up, blue eyes glittering angrily. "Better? Better at  _what_?"

He can only shrug. "Living and helping others, I suppose."

"You  _suppose_?"

Feeling a bit irritated at the old man's sneering tone, Severus spits, "It's not as if we chose to wake up here as children!"

This appears to surprise Demitri all over again. Confusion clouding his gaze once more, he mutters, "You… Didn't?"

"No." With a musing tone, he remarks to the old man, "We both died during moments that may have preceded the end of the world as we knew. Of course, in Lily's case, we know it didn't as I  _lived_ a long time after her death. But after my demise? It's a mystery as to whether the world we knew ended with me or if her son prevailed and defeated Voldemort once and for all."

His grandfather flinched at the name. Eyes big and shocked, he whispered, "The monster was there as well?"

Severus nods.

"Merlin!"

Quietly, he tells the old man, "We're going to defeat him this time. Lily and I. We don't have all the details for our plan put together quite yet, but I'm working on having a fool-proof method for destroying any of his Horcruxes we find on us at all times so when we finally confront him he will stay dead when we kill him."

Demitri's hand went to his chest. "He has  _Horcruxes_?"

Severus swallows. His grandfather's reaction is unsettling and he wonders just how much the man knows about Voldemort right now. "A few, we believe at this time."

"I knew he was terrible, no,  _deplorable_ , but to know he's this… Evil! I've never been a man to believe in God, or even gods, but if I've ever felt more compelled to pray to one than right now I can't think of a time!" he exclaims.

As Severus watches the man quietly panic to himself over all of the information he's given him, Severus can't help but wonder why it is his grandfather believes so easily. "Why are you just accepting my words at face value?" Severus demands. "I wouldn't if I were in your place."

"When I was young, I knew a woman that once who met her four times great niece. She was an Unspeakable – like Vesta's father – and during an experiment with a spell they were creating to use in lieu of Time Turners she ended up in the very far future. Funnily enough, the young lady was an Unspeakable herself. Anyway, it didn't pan out in the end. It was too unstable." He shakes his head, a flicker of amusement dancing across his previously stricken face. "What I am trying to tell you with this is I've seen and heard a great deal in my time. What you say does not surprise me, as stranger things have occurred. What does is that you and your friend have no idea why you came back."

Severus still feels unsettled, but at least he can take relief in knowing that to an aged wizard his tale is not half as insane as it feels to him some days. "If you need no proof, is there anything you wish to know now about my other life?"

"You appear to know quite a bit about the monster that led your cousin astray. Why is that?"

He shifts uncomfortably on his feet. This is a question he wished to avoid with all his being. Unfortunately, it appears he will not be given the reprieve he wished for. "For a time, I was one of his followers. Then, I was a spy within his ranks for the group who resists him."

"A clever boy –  _man_ – like you followed him?" Demitri asks, a note of surprise and disappointment in his words.

His hackles rise at the words. "Better witches and wizards fell for his words and promises. Voldemort is not a stupid man – and his insanity has yet to reach its full height as of right now. Few will realize just what kind of monster he is for some time."

"Of course, of course, I didn't–" the old man gives a sigh of pure frustration. "I am not upset with you. It simply saddens me that I could not sway you to see his words were lies." He looks up at Severus, for confirmation perhaps, as he goes on, "That is why you hate me so, isn't it? That I did not try harder to not only save your mother from her mistakes, but you from your own. It was Boyd that brought you into his circle, was it not?"

Severus frowns in perplexment for a moment, but, then, it clicks. Demitiri thinks he was a part of Severus's first life too. "You misunderstand," Severus says. "There is a reason I have another memory to use as a template for my father's death. In my first life, he was never murdered by Adam Parkinson. He killed himself with his poor lifestyle." He has to look away as confusion overtakes his grandfather's face once more. "I never knew you before this lifetime. I hardly knew Sage, let alone Aunt Vesta. Boyd was an acquaintance at best, given we were both Death Eaters, and I taught his son at Hogwarts during the boy's time there."

"Then… How?"

"In my first life, I was never friends with Sage. I never came to live with Aunt Vesta and the rest of the Montagues. Lily was my only true friend and I hung around with some other Slytherins, Rosier, Wilkes, Mulciber, mostly. There were others, such as Lucius Malfoy, who acted as a patron of sorts for me to become a Death Eater. I lived with Mum and Dad on Spinner's End all my childhood and school years. Mother died when I was sixteen from illness. And as I said, Dad managed to kill himself a time later with his lifestyle."

Demitri frowns now. "Did I know you even existed?"

"Probably not. It's not as if Aunt Vesta knew I was family until I told her your name is the name of my grandfather according to my mother."

He rubs a hand across his face. "Merlin."

"It's that memory I have of my dad killing himself I want to alter to replace Mum's current one, you know."

Relief mixed with irritation crossed the old man's face. "We're running out of time, aren't we? Vesta will come looking for us if we don't return to St. Mungo's soon."

Severus nods. It's exactly what their cousin will do. "Yes, she will."

His grandfather points a finger at him. "Don't think this is done. I have hundreds, if not a thousand more questions for you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," replies Severus. He's not a dunderhead. "Shall I send word to Lily her assistance is needed now?"

Demitri settles back in his chair, fingers locking together in his lap. "Yes."

"Alright," Severus returns before walking over to the list paper Aunt Vesta keeps by the ice box and tearing a piece off to write on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	54. Expanding: XII

Demitri comes home with them after a healer's assistant pops into Mum's room and declares visiting hours are over just as the clock's big hand passes over the six. He claims a room just down the hallway from Severus's own bedroom. It irks him a little to have the old man so near, but Severus sees the value of the placement as well. It will make visiting him after everyone's gone to bed without notice from the Montagues or Topper far easier.

However, when they all begin to retire to their bedrooms after a solemn supper, Sage grabs his wrist and makes Severus look at him.

"Do you want to sleep in my room tonight? I can get Topper to bring us some sweets and we can make a sleepover out of it." He smiles. "And you could open my present to you."

Severus almosts says no. He wants to get over telling his grandfather the rest of his history and answering any question he might have. But, then, he thinks of the hours spent at St. Mungo's. Of Sage curled in a chair near the back of the room reading a large novel. Of him glancing at Severus now and again with concern when something his grandfather said was a bit barbed or Aunt Vesta got a bit weepy and feely. Severus smirks back. "Sure, you can open my present to you too," he replies. He can sneak out later to go and visit with his grandfather. Sage deserves to have his Christmas end on a happy note.

-O-

Four hours later, a spread of biscuits, gummies, and shredded Christmas wrapping filling the space of Sage's bed not occupied by them, Severus begins to ease himself out from beneath his brother. Pulling out his half-asleep arm from beneath Sage's head, he lets out a breath he hardly knew he was holding and slowly sits up. Staring down at the sleeping face of Sage, a fondness pulls at his heart. Every passing day makes him realize it's only going to be a matter of time before his brother is just shy of a doppelganger to Boyd. He gives a bit of Sage's over-long fringe a small twist. Perhaps he'll be able to talk him out of slicking back his hair all the time as Boyd does. Somehow, Severus just can't see it suiting Sage the same way it does his brother.

Perhaps it's because Sage isn't even half as suspect as Boyd.

Pulling away entirely from the boy Severus slides out of bed, then his brother's bedroom. When he knocks on his grandfather's door, hardly a second passes before it swings open and reveals his scowling grandfather. Severus feels his good mood fade immediately.

"What took you so long?" Demitri demands.

Severus crosses his arms and glares back at the old man. "Sage wanted to have a bit of party for Christmas." He quirks an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you agree he deserves one after a whole day in hospital? Especially since if a certain  _someone_  hadn't poisoned Mum, he would have had a nice Christmas here at his home."

Demitri's glower only darkens as he waves Severus inside.

In he goes.

The old man closes the door behind Severus. He then goes to the armchair and ottoman situated near his dimly glowing fireplace. He takes the pin-striped wingback (of course), leaving Severus to place himself on the slightly shorter red ottoman. It makes him feel far more like a child than he cares for, to sit on it and have to look up at the old man. If he didn't know that Demitiri would only take joy in it, Severus would have scowled at his grandfather. Instead, Severus tries to compose himself into a more adult-position. He straightens out his spine as if someone spelled a slug down the back of his shirt and crosses his legs in a business-like way.

"Where shall I start my story?" asks Severus.

His grandfather stares at him for a moment. "From the beginning," he finally answers. Then, as if he realizes just how easily Severus can misunderstand what he means by 'beginning', Demitiri corrects, "Of your  _first_ life."

Since the Unbreakable Vow Lily officiated for them strictly forbids his grandfather from breathing another word to  _anyone_ but Lily or Severus about their previous lives and time travel, he begins to tell his life-story with only a little discomfort to the old man. By the time Severus finishes sharing his long, intricate, history with his grandfather, the sun is just starting to warm Demitri's bedroom. For a time, all there is the quiet tick-tock of the grandfather clock to their right.

Finally, Demitri says, "I don't know how you managed it. Most men would have gotten themselves killed or killed themselves."

Severus feels a sluggish shrug is the only viable response. "There was the greater good to keep in mind. When things were unbearable, I reminded myself the witch or wizard who would take my place as Dumbledore's spy should I kill myself or be careless enough to get killed, may not be as good as I. Without me, the world may end." Then, softer, he adds, "I also couldn't let Lily's son die. I let her down already, I wasn't about to let her child die too because of my mistakes."

"You love her very much, don't you?"

He frowns. "Of course. She's my greatest and oldest friend."

Demitri eyes him. "You love her as more than just a friend."

He shakes his head in denial. They are not pursuing a relationship at this time and maybe they never will. Acknowledging that his love her transcends friendship only serves to pain him. Remind Severus yet again he can never have what he wants most in the world. Firmly, he tells his grandfather, "It doesn't matter how I love her. All that did and does is that I do. Love is what saved Harry. Love is what shall hopefully save the world this time too."

His grandfather only seems amused by his words. "I think you ought to head back to bed now, lad. Sage will be waking up soon and wondering where you got to."

Severus stands, knees cracking as he does. Yawning into the crook of his arm, he remarks, "No questions? You know what? Disregard my last statement. I'd rather catch an hour or two of sleep before Aunt Vesta barges into Sage's room and yell at us to get dressed so we can spend boxing day with Mum at St. Mungo's."

"I will," he assures. "In a day or two I should have a parchment sheet worth." The old man smirks slightly. "Also, speaking of your mother, I'll look into getting my hands on a Pensieve so we can start on manipulating that memory of yours. We need it in a week's time to place in your mother's head after she wakes."

-o-O-o-

Much to Severus's surprise, when he wakes up on boxing day for breakfast, his grandfather is gone. When he asks Aunt Vesta where he's disappeared to, she tells him some important business came up and he had to leave to take care of it. Aunt Vesta's lips curl nastily as she snarks, "But don't worry! He says he'll be back in time for Boyd's wedding! As if I care if he comes at this point! Eileen is just in a coma at St. Mungo's right now. But yes, business and a wedding rank above a sick daughter. It's no wonder your poor mother has her priorities all mixed up!"

Wisely, Severus keeps his mouth shut and asks no more questions. At this point, he assumes from what little was said after he finished telling his grandfather his past last night that the man's getting a head start on finding a Pensieve. While not a rare item for others to buy, it is not common either. To get his hands on one in such short notice Demitri may even have to make it himself.

The next two days are spent mostly at St. Mungo's and when he's at the manor, Severus keeps an eye on the mail. There is a letter from Lily, another from Sirius, and two-handmade condolence cards that are definitely from the Jones girls (who told the Jones about his mother? Aunt Vesta?), but nothing from his grandfather. Severus shrugs it off. The old man told Aunt Vesta he would be back in time for Boyd's wedding and Severus thinks he can trust him at least that much.

To his relief, the next morning proves his grandfather honest. After being woken half-past dawn by Aunt Vesta and bullied into their dress robes, they come down to the kitchen to find his grandfather sipping at a cup of tea.

"Hello," Sage says politely.

The old man dips his head. "Lads," he returns.

"Topper!" Aunt Vesta calls, "the boys need their porridge!" She then whirls around on them and wags her finger in their faces. "So help me if you two get porridge on your dress robes!"

Severus rolls his eyes as Sage placates her with, "Yes, Mum."

As they sit down to eat, the Montague woman flits around the kitchen a bit before saying, "I should give Boyd and Violet a quick call. Make sure there isn't anything they need help with last minute."

Severus, Sage, and  _Demitiri_ share a disbelieving look with one another, but do not stop Aunt Vesta. Instead, they sit quietly and watch with interest as she makes the fire call. Violet answers it and tries to say she has everything well in hand when Boyd pops into view.

He tells Aunt Vesta, "I'll be over to get the boys in a bit, I've got a small task for them."

"Of course!" Aunt Vesta croons as Severus and Sage relax in their seats.

Quietly, Sage mutters, "Thank Merlin."

Severus nods his head in agreement. Perhaps Boyd will be kind enough to keep them until the wedding so they don't have to deal with the overly excited Montague woman all morning. He smirks at his grandfather, who frowns at him. It'll be up to him to try and reign in Aunt Vesta today.

Not even ten minutes later Boyd shows up and spirits them away to his flat. Big hands heavy on their shoulders, he leads them into the drawing room where he insists they take a seat on the sofa. Grinning, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out two small gift-wrapped boxes. Handing them off to Sage and Severus, he says, "This is a thank you for all of your help."

Sage opens his to find a pocket watch. Quickly, his brother explains, "I know it's traditional for fathers to give their sons watches, but Dad's… Well, you deserve one, Sage. Being my usher is no small feat and you've stepped up to the task like a real man."

The teenager throws himself at his brother for a clumsy hug. "Thanks, Boyd," he mumbles into his brother's shoulder.

"You're welcome," Boyd replies. He looks expectantly at Severus. "Well? Are you going to open your present?"

Severus stares down at the blue box. Undoing the purple bow he pulls off the paper and opens it to reveal a bronze-hued ring. He takes it out and curiously turns it over in his hands. It has a stamp that appears to be meant for sealing the wax on letters. "Thank you," says Severus. "It's quite handsome."

"The crest on it is the Montague's. We don't much use it or show it off in our family anymore, but it was Dad's and I want you to know you're as good as family to me too. A brother," Boyd tells him, arm still wrapped around Sage's shoulder.

A small lump starts in Severus's throat. "Thanks," he croaks as he slips it on his finger. As he admires the ring, Severus wonders what Boyd will think of him (and Mum) when he learns how close his wedding came to ruin before Demitri poisoned his mother.

-o-O-o-

Hours later while blandly looking over the many guests at Boyd and Violet's wedding reception, Severus manages to spy Clara among the cliques. He bends over close to Sage and half-shouts into his cousin's ear over the din of the amplified quartet of self-playing string instruments, "I see Clara across the room! I'm going to see if she would care to join us over here."

Sages nods and waves him off while shouting, "Take her a glass of champagne to be polite!"

Severus rolls his eyes, but takes two glasses from one of the many platters a small platoon of house elves are being forced to carry around the room. Sometimes, he has to wonder if his brother realizes just how much like his mother he can sound like. Severus is certain he doesn't. And if he dares to point it out, it's highly possible Sage will be absolutely mortified.

Approaching he can't help but admire Clara in her bridesmaid gown. The lace bodice of her lavender gown hugs her endowed bosom attractively and the slightly deeper purple of her chiffon skirt and sleeves flow freely off her in a way that makes her look like an elfin princess from a Muggle storybook. Severus still thinks a woman with long, thick red hair and an athletic build is the epitome of beauty, but there's no denying Clara looks a vision this evening.

Reaching her, he offers the glass with a small upturn of his lips.

The Parkinson girl grins back with her teeth as she takes the glass. "Thank you," she says.

He only nods as he falls into the space beside her. Together, they watch those dancing come to a pause as the quartet's latest song ends. When the next song is in full swing and the dancers are in the midst of twirling and passing the women along to the nearest male to their right, Severus turns his head to look at Clara. "Have you given any thought to what you're going to do once you graduate Hogwarts?" Severus asks. While to anyone listening in, it will sound as if he's just asking a general, polite question commonly asked by one acquaintance to another, Clara knows the true meaning of the question.

She stares down at the rosy champagne in her glass. "Some. Before Benjy, I fancied Gideon Prewett for the longest time, but he never noticed me like that. I tried to talk to him a few times, but Gideon didn't seem to think very much of me. Perhaps he even thought poorly of me. Not that I'd blame him, Adam was a bit of a bully to the Gryffindors while he was in school and I'm sure that colored his view of me and Parkinsons in general." She circles a manicured finger around the rim of her glass and sighs. "Since our date, I've tried looking at other boys. Ones Father would approve of especially, but…" Clara bites her lip.

"Can't shake him, can you?" Severus replies quietly.

She gives a shake of her head, causing a delicately curled lock of hair to fall from the loose bun her hair is pulled in. "No," whispers Clara. "He has stars in his eyes when he looks at me." A pale pink colors her cheek. "…He makes me feel like a queen."

Severus raises his half-full flute of champagne in the air. "I wish you two all the luck, then."

Clara glances at him and smiles. It trembles as her eyes start to shimmer with unshed tears. Turning her gaze back to the dance-floor where you can just barely spy Violet in her sweeping silver-white gown dancing with Boyd through the crowds of other waltzing witches and wizards, she tells Severus, "I'm so happy I got to be here today. Who could ask for a lovelier last memory of your sister than one of her dancing with her husband on her wedding day? She looks so beautiful." The Parkinson woman discreetly swipes her thumb over the corners of her eyes. "I'm going to miss Violet most of all. She's been more than just my sister, but my best friend as well."

Severus nods and turns his gaze to the happy couple as well. He sympathizes so very deeply with Clara, the situation she's found herself in is just dreadful, but he has no words to offer that won't come off as shallow platitudes. Instead, Severus dares to grab her free-hand for all of a second and give it a strong squeeze. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus sees the Parkinson woman still. Then, Clara's chin quivers briefly before her jaw goes taut and all emotion flees her face leaving behind a blank, if pleasant-to-look-at mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	55. Expanding: XIII

While he and Sage are in his father's study, hiding from Aunt Vesta for the afternoon and working on their charms essays, Demitri comes to loom in the doorway. Face solemn, he says, "It's done." Before he backs off and leaves them alone once more.

Severus immediately begins to organize his school work and put it away. Confused, Sage furrows his brows and asks, "Severus?"

"Put your stuff away. Demitri and I have something to discuss with you, your mother, and Topper." Finished with putting the rest of his papers in his satchel, he meets his brother's tremulous gaze and explains, "It's about Mum."

Sage jumps to it and rushes through the methodical motions Severus went through just a moment before. "Did Great Uncle Demitri figure out what was wrong with her?"

"…Sort of," Severus answers evasively. "Look, I promise everything's going to be answered in no time at all."

His brother's face twists a little around the mouth – not too unlike the way Aunt Vesta's does when she's displeased – but he lets it go. Sage next finishes putting his things away before he follows Severus out of the study.

-O-

Not even ten minutes later the entire household is gathered in family's drawing room. Severus sits beside his grandfather and in front of the handmade Pensieve that holds the fake memory he will implant into his mother's head when she wakes in a couple of days. Across from them sit an identically frowning Sage and Aunt Vesta with Topper standing at attention just within reach of his mistress. Unsurprisingly, Aunt Vesta is the first to speak.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demands, eyes flickering to the Pensieve and then to Demitri.

The old man stands and takes control of the situation (he may know Severus is no boy, but the Montagues do not and it would be strange for him to present this intricate, clever, insane plan). "We need to have a family meeting about what is going to happen when Eileen wakes in two days' time."

Aunt Vesta's mouth purses. "Have you been keeping information from the healers from me? Uncle Demitri, I don't want to sound…  _disrespectful,_ but I think the last one Eileen would want to know all about her condition is you."

"No," he answers simply. "I know as it is I who put her in the coma."

The Montague woman shoots up, face livid. " _What_?" she hisses. Aunt Vesta starts to draw her wand, but before she can, Severus uses silent, wandless magic to rip it from her fingers. Her expression turns to one of horror as his grandfather looks at Severus out of the corner of his eye.

"Hang on to that for me, won't you?" he says. "I'd at least like to explain in full before I let your cousin hex me."

Severus nods. "Yessir."

That earns him a raised eyebrow from Sage, but otherwise, the mother and son remain focused on his grandfather.

Putting his hands out in a placating gesture, Demitri calmly suggests, "Why not take a seat, Vesta? I promise I'll explain why it was necessary."

White and slightly shaky, Aunt Vesta does so. After swallowing a couple of times, she dips her chin in a jerky motion and whispers, "Please do."

"You know she's spent the better part of her time back in our world trying to find out who killed her husband, yes?"

"Yes," the Montague woman agrees.

Nodding, the old man eyes her sharply for a moment before saying, "She found him."

"What?" Aunt Vesta gasps. "How? When?"

Demitri sighs. "A short while ago. With a bit of my help, actually." Clasping his hands in front of him, the old man's expression turns to one of sadness (perhaps it's not even all an act, Severus thinks). "Unfortunately, when she found out who her husband's murderer was she began to plot to kill him."

All of his attention still on his cousin, Severus watches her eyes widen and her hands go to cover her mouth. "Oh, Eileen!"

The old man seems to agree as his shoulders slump and he takes a moment to just stare at his feet. "The murderer was Adam Parkinson."

Aunt Vesta screams, causing both Topper and Sage to jump. Severus winces and looks on as Uncle Demitri steps forward to put his hands on their cousin's shoulders. "I know," he soothes. "I know."

"Don't tell me she was going to do it at the wedding.  _Please_ , Uncle Demitri. Tell me our Eileen's not that far gone!"

Severus can see neither of them, but he can see Sage. His brother's head is turned, looking at them. His profile is one of horror. Severus feels guilty all over again. If only he'd never brought up that he had grandparents named Etta and Demitri…

"We're going to fix this, Vesta. It's going to be alright," Demitri reassured.

The old man twists his head around to look at Severus, gaze intense and demanding. Severus sighs and gets up to come place himself on the other side of Aunt Vesta. Sitting down, he pats the quietly crying woman's arm and says, "Listen to Demitri, Aunt Vesta. He has a plan that will make this all go away."

Pulling out a handkerchief, the Montague woman sniffles into it for a moment and then dries her eyes. "Okay," she says. "Tell me what your plan is."

"Severus had quite the interesting idea while we were in the hospital," begins Demitri, looking at him. "He suggested we create a false memory of Tobias's death to replace the one Eileen has now." Then, gesturing to the Pensieve, he explains, "It's right in here now, waiting to be placed in her head after we obliviate the original."

"That doesn't change the months of her looking for Adam," Aunt Vesta counters.

He nods. "You're right. We're going to just have to Obliviate it all from her memory and hope for the best."

"You have no false memories for those months of searching?"

The old man shakes his head. "Creating hundreds, if not thousands of moments of mundanity is not something we have time for. She will wake in next to no time at all. That's why I and Severus are informing you about our plan to replace her memory of Tobias's death. While it will stop her from trying to look for a murderer again, it will also cause Eileen to wonder about the gaps in her memory from the last several months. I need you, Topper, Sage, Boyd and his new wife – when they get back from their honeymoon – to not give anything away. I need you to pretend as if she spent most of her time closed off in her room, depressed and mourning for her husband, rather than investigating Tobias's death."

He looks them all over, a tired shadow overcoming his eyes. "It's our only option right now."

Aunt Vesta stares intently at Demitri for a moment, then she sighs. "Alright."

"Thank you."

The Montague woman then shifts to face Severus. Eyes wet and soft, she reaches out to cradle his chin in her hands. "I'm so sorry it's come to this, dear. I wish we could have nipped this in the bud earlier."

Severus looks away. "I don't blame you," he says. "It's not like Mum let on to what all she was up to."

Her hands fall away from his face, only for them to come wrap around his shoulders. Aunt Vesta pulls Severus against her into a strong embrace. "We're going to make this work, Severus," she promises. "You're going to get your mother back."

The words take him by surprise.  _He's going to get his mother back._ Severus never thought of it that way. But his Aunt Vesta is right, if everything goes accordingly, he will get a mother that's nearly identical to the one he remembers from childhood. His mother will still be the imperfect woman he now knows her to be, yes, but she might be more like the woman he once thought her too. The solid, predictable figure whom Severus could go to for a nonjudgmental ear when he was afraid to talk to anyone else. He knows his grandfather is watching (and he still doesn't fully trust the man), but he can't bring himself to care.  _He's going to get his mother back_. Burying his face into his aunt's shoulder, Severus feels every bit of his physical fourteen years as he cries into her robes out of relief and joy.

-o-O-o-

The day mum is supposed to wake according to Demitri's calculations they all go to St. Mungo's. While Aunt Vesta watches the door, Uncle Demitri removes several of the monitoring spells on Severus's mother. Then, for an agonizing hour and a half, they wait. When Mum finally begins to stir, the first thing that happens is her fingers twitch at her sides. Then, her lips part and she gives a small cough.

Severus goes to her side. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, he calls, "Mum?"

Her eyelids begin to flutter.

"Come on, Mum," he whispers, "wake up."

When her eyes open fully, Demitri is right there at Severus's shoulder, wand raised. " _Obliviate_ ," he murmurs.

Mother's eyes are blown wide and then they begin to dull. While they are open and unguarded, Severus seizes on his chance. Pulling the false memory out of the specially made compartment in his mind, he keeps it at ready as he sifts through his mother's memories until he finds the moment where his mother is about to walk into their home on Spinner's End and find Dad's body. Carefully overlaying the fake one at the edges of the broken real one that exists, Severus takes the time to pull together more, real memories that should logically follow the discovery. Such as subsequent dealings with the police and emergency personnel who arrive to take care of his father's dead body and make sure nothing nefarious is at play.

When he's finished, Severus closes his eyes and says, "Put her to sleep."

Raising his wand once more, Demitri speaks the incantation for a suggestive sleeping charm. Thankfully, his mother is too weak to fight the spell and falls asleep within moments of it being cast. When she is truly, deeply asleep, Severus pulls away to go sit in the corner of the room with Sage. His head is pounding with the start of a migraine – as it does on occasion when he performs particularly strenuous legilimency. Settling into the seat, he sighs tiredly. Perhaps he can take a kip while they wait for Mum to wake up for a second time.

A hand on his knee makes him crack an eye open. He sees Sage looking at him, expression one of concern. "Are you alright?" he asks.

"Just a bit tired."

Sage's face turns to one of hesitancy, as if he wants to ask something, but doesn't know if he should.

Severus sighs. "Spit it out. I want to get some sleep here."

"You… You placed the memory in her mind. How?"

He nods. "Yes, I did." He tries for a smile. "Mum taught me a bit of legilimency before I went to Hogwarts. Then some more that first summer I went home too. I practiced now and again on my own at Hogwarts as well. Demitri figured I'd have better luck doing it without being attacked by her subconscious mind as it'd recognize me as not being a threat."

"Unlike him, huh?" Sage mumbles.

Severus chuckles. "Exactly."

Sage gives his knee a gentle push. "Get some rest, I'll wake you up if your mum wakes up again anytime soon."

He relaxes further in his chair. "Thanks," he mutters before drifting off into an exhausted slumber.

-O-

A few hours later, it's just him and a dozing Sage in his mother's room. Aunt Vesta and Demitri left just over twenty minutes ago to go to the cafeteria for some tea. Severus's stomach churns with the low burn of hunger. Absently, he brushes a hand over it. Hopefully, they will remember to bring some crisps or biscuits back for him and Sage to snack on.

He swings his legs idly, the heels of his feet thumping softly against the side of the transfigured armchair he's curled in. Severus then returns his attention to the book he took from Sage's lax fingers when the boy fell asleep just over half an hour ago and finishes the paragraph he is on and turns the page. However, just as he's re-immersing himself into the story, the sound of over-starched sheets rustling catches his attention. He looks up at his mother. Severus tenses when he sees her staring over at him.

"Severus?" she calls, voice hoarse.

Letting the book fall between the cushion and the arm of the chair, Severus swings himself around so he's sitting properly in his seat. "Mum!"

A frown on her lips, she turns her head slowly from side to side. Finally, she asks, "…Am I at St. Mungo's?"

Severus bobs his head in affirmation. "Yes."

"I…" she starts, only to stop. Forehead wrinkling, she questions, "What happened?"

He puts his face in his hands. "Healers don't know, actually," he tells her with feigned casualness. "Aunt Vesta said you became ill shortly before Sage and I came home for holidays and by the time we came to see you, you were in a coma."

She blinks at Severus as if she can't quite believe what he's saying. "How long have I been here?"

Evasively, he replies,"We go back to Hogwarts in a couple of days."

His mum frowns. Real sadness and frustration carving lines into her forehead. "I missed Christmas. And your cousin's wedding." She lets her head fall back against her pillow, dismay in her tone as she mumbles, "Your Aunt Vesta must be terribly upset about that one."

"I think she was more upset no one could figure out what is wrong with you."

She sighs."That poor woman. I've put her through more trouble than she deserves."

"Aunt Vesta has yet to complain," Severus quickly assures. Then, thinking better of it, corrects himself, "Well, very much, anyway."

She chuckles. "That sounds like your Aunt alright." She looks at him then, her gaze scrutinizing. "Severus, why don't you take a seat right here? You look exhausted."

"Sorry," he mumbles, gingerly placing himself by his mum's elbow.

Her hand reaches over to wrap around his own. "I've caused you some worry too, haven't I?"

"Mum–"

"No. Don't 'Mum' me, Severus. Be honest."

After a moment, he admits, "…A little."

She lifts her hand up and touches his cheek. "I'm sorry, love."

"It's fine," Severus lies. "It's not like you could help it this time."

His mother sighs. "I've been quite a poor mother, haven't I?"

"No!" he denies. It's another lie he's speaking, but Severus can't help it. She's still weak and he's messed with her mind and she's been betrayed by not only him, but their whole family.

The woman presses her lips into a thin line. "You had no trouble telling me I was in the wrong when I let Vesta take you from me this summer, why are you changing your mind now? Because I've been ill?"

"…I don't want you to get worse," he admits meekly when her glare refuses to lessen.

Mum's expression softens. "Come here," she says. Reluctantly, Severus presses himself against his mother's skeletal side and lets her wrap him up in a loose side-hug. She sighs tiredly and begins to rub her hand up and down his arm. "You wanted me to apologize," she whispers, a faint note of questioning to the words. Though, why Mum's looking for confirmation, Severus isn't sure. Does she think Severus will have changed his mind since the summer? Or is it the Obliviation spell Demitri used on her blurring the memory?

Whatever the reason, he nods his head silently.

"I've thought about what you said since you told me I should apologize for picking your father over you." She licks her lips, thoughtfulness overcoming her countenance. "I… It's not easy, Severus. Perhaps I should have gone with you. Sage may have been your friend, but you knew Vesta and Boyd very little. Giving you to an all but stranger was a very poor decision on my part and I am sorry I did that to you. I loathe to say it, but my temper got the better of me. Just because we went with your Aunt Vesta wouldn't have meant we had to stay for long at her home."

Severus is quiet for a moment, absorbing and picking a part what his mother had just said to him. "You still didn't apologize for choosing Dad."

"Sometimes, you are far too clever," she grouses without malice. "I'm sorry I chose to stay with him," says his mother. "But you have to understand, despite all he did to us over the years, I still love him. Even now that he's gone, I love him." She places a gentle hand on Severus's cheek and makes him look at her. Eyes warm, she takes a strand of his limp hair and tucks it behind Severus's ear. "He gave me you, Severus. You are by far my greatest accomplishment in life and without your father, you would not be. I can't imagine a life without you. You are why I am alive. That is reason enough for me to love him, to not want to leave him." Hand falling away from Severus's face, his mum sighs. "But even though I stood by him, it wasn't enough to save him from himself."

He doesn't know what to say. Isn't sure if there is anything to say. His mother appears to decide for him as she smiles (though it looks as if it pains her) and lets him go. "I hope you can forgive me.

Severus finds himself nodding. "I do," he croaks. "All I wanted was for you to acknowledge it was the wrong choice."

Eyes drooping once more, his mother yawns. "I know it was," she says. "I regret that I didn't go with you. You are the best part of my life and I gave you up to stay with your father." Lips forming a small moue, she mutters, "Bastard couldn't be arsed to return the favor."

"You're tired, Mum, go back to sleep. I'll let Aunt Vesta and Demitri know you woke up when they get back in a bit."

Her eyebrows go halfway up her forehead. "Your grandfather is here? My, the healers must have been thinking the worst."

"They never said," Severus replies.

She smiles slightly. "More like your Aunt insisted you not be told until all options were run through."

Severus doesn't reply as he slips out from underneath his mother's arm. He then makes sure the hospital sheets are covering his now sleeping mother fully before he returns to his armchair. After settling into his seat again, Severus stares at his mother for a moment before he returns to the book. His chest far lighter than it has been in months, he sinks easily into the story in his grip.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	56. Expanding: XIV

His mother's quick recovery baffles the healers in charge of her care. They run more tests on her than they ever did while she was in a coma and question her multiple times about the hours and days leading up to her falling into a coma. It frustrates Severus's mother to no end as she recalls very little. While the healers (and Mum) chalk this up to the illness and subsequent coma, Severus, their family, and Demitri know better.

When it comes time for Sage and him to leave for Hogwarts once more, the healers agree to release his mother for a couple of hours to see them off. With Aunt Vesta and Boyd's help, Severus's mother makes it to King's Cross with them. She's too weak from almost two weeks of inactivity to stand long unassisted on her own, but Mum does her best to not let it put a damper on his and Sage's send-off.

"Your grandfather told me he's going to hold a dueling tournament for you students. If either of you wants a clever spell or two you wish to keep up your sleeve, write me." She smirks. "When I was your age, I'd sneak my mother's wand at night and practice spells from some of your grandfather's books he keeps in his study. I even figured out where he kept the books he didn't want me reading and mastered a few from those."

"Hush, Eileen! Don't give the lads ideas!" Aunt Vesta tuts, while smothering a smile.

As for Severus, he grins at his mother. This is the best spirits she's been in a very long time. While he likely knows most of the spells his mother is thinking of, or even better ones, he will still write her. Severus wants to encourage his mother to continue to be like this.

Behind them, the Express gives its warning whistle. Twisting his head around to look at the locomotive, Severus sighs. He wishes he didn't have to go back right now. As capable as Aunt Vesta has proven herself to be these past years, she's also prone to dramatics and swayed by strong emotions. How is she going to handle his mother on her own? While Boyd and Violet have promised to visit Aunt Vesta and Eileen at least once a week for the foreseeable future, that may not be enough if his mother's good mood takes a turn and she starts to become suspicious about how few memories she has of the past year.

"Ah, looks like it's time for you lads to go," Boyd remarks, breaking the uneasy silence that's fallen over all of them. Carefully maneuvering Severus's mother from his arm to Aunt Vesta's, he reaches over to pull them into short side-embraces. "Keep out of trouble, alright?"

Sage smiles at his brother, an impish look in his eyes. "Like we usually do?" he teases.

Boyd playfully puts Sage in a headlock as he lets go of Severus. "That cheek!"

"Boyd!" Aunt Vesta hisses. "You're a grown man, stop picking on your brother!"

The man rolls his eyes and lets go of Sage, who's laughing quietly. "Of course, Mother. Sorry."

Aunt Vesta sniffs snootily as Severus's mum puts a hand over her mouth to hide her smirk. "I recall you used to tug my braid when you saw me off with my parents when I was growing up."

The Montague gapes, scandalized. "I did no such thing!"

Mum only chuckles.

The Express whistles again.

"Hurry along now, you two will miss the train if you don't!" Aunt Vesta exclaims. Despite the urgency of her tone, she insists right after they come close so she may press a kiss to each of their cheeks and that they hug Severus's mother too before they grab their trunks and all but run to the Hogwarts Express to catch it before it leaves.

-o-O-o-

Things are not any calmer at Hogwarts than they were at home. Slytherin is abuzz with gossip about Clara. A fellow seventh year, Felix Carrow, caught her holding hands with Benjy outside the charms classroom just a couple of days after Christmas hols end. When Clara doesn't try and deny or cover up her relationship, everyone knows her and the Gryffindor are serious.

Someone must have written home to their parents, who wrote Clara's, as she receives a howler the morning after the ousting from her father. He yells at her in a low, bellowing voice. He calls her a silly bint, a sneak, a disgrace, and then, ends his howler with the declaration she has a family no more and shouldn't bother looking for him, her mother, or either of her siblings at King's Cross at the end of the school year. She is not welcome in their home any longer.

Severus watches on with deep admiration as she stares straight ahead, not giving even a flicker of emotion away as the Howler carries on. When it is over and it tears itself to pieces, she pulls out her wand, vanishes the scraps of parchment and gets up and leaves the Great Hall. Out of the corner of his eyes, Severus sees Benjy get to his feet and follow Clara out.

Beside him, Sage whispers into his ear, "At least she waited until after the wedding to make a mess of things."

He says nothing to that. Hardly even indicates he heard Sage at all. He sounds so much like Vesta, so much like Pureblood propriety personified it makes his skin crawl in ways that remind him despite everything, all that he's done for Sage so far, the real trial has yet to come. Soon, Boyd will be a devil in his brother's ear, whispering, insisting, persuading Sage to join the Death Eaters like him.

How is he going to convince Sage against it?

-O-

A few hours later, during their first defense class after hols, Demitri reveals his dueling bracket board for their class. He has them paired off to duel one another and then he will pair the winners of those duels to fight each other and then again and again until only one of them is left. After that, they will face off against the winner of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw defense class. Whoever comes out victorious will next face the winner of a different year in a duel. The last two contestants standing will then have a duel in front of the entire school in a couple of months.

As he speaks, he subtly looks from Severus, to Lily, to Severus, to Lily over and over again. He knows not a student in the room has a chance of advancing outside of the classroom, yet Severus has a feeling Demitri isn't quite sure if it will be him or Lily who comes out the winner. If he didn't find it amusing, he may have found it insulting. Severus is going to win. He's almost two decades of experience on Lily.

After he finishes his explanation, he directs them into their pairs and calls the first two, James and Magda Pucey, forward. Severus watches dully as it takes James all of three minutes to disarm Pucey. The next duel, with William Wilkes and Peter, goes just as quickly, with Wilkes coming out the victor. The duel after takes a bit longer and after that, Severus honestly stops paying attention until he's called up to face off against Florence Broom. The children are not interesting in the slightest to watch. It's all brute magic and blunt spells. There's no finesse and little art to their duels.

When he goes up against Florence Broom, he toys with her, if only to let her get a chance to feel what a real duel is like. He ducks and dodges her first two spells. Then, he casts a (rather) harmless toenail-growing hex at her, which hits her directly and causes her to yelp and lose balance. When Severus yells, "Expelliarmus!" however, Florence seems to have caught on just enough to the nature of dueling to roll out of the way and throw a knockback jinx at Severus. He, of course, steps out of its striking distance just in time and casts another disarming charm at the Gryffindor girl. This one works like a dream and a moment later, Florence's wand is in his hand.

Severus is then declared the winner and the next students are called up. It goes on like this for the rest of class. Unfortunately, it's right after Lily and Sirius are called to the front that Lilith Crabbe raises her hand and reminds Demitri class is over.

There's a wave of disappointed murmurs from the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins, while others sigh in relief realizing that they are not going to have to make fools of themselves in front of their classmates today. Severus just rolls his eyes and doesn't waste time gathering his things to leave the classroom. He has a letter to send his mother today and if he sends it now, it should reach her by tomorrow.

As he goes, Sage asks, "Where are you off to so fast?"

He pulls his letter from his pocket. "Going to send this off to Mum."

"I'll come with."

Together, they leave the room. Severus waves the letter at Lily as he goes, letting her know where he's going. She smiles blithely in return before going back to whatever rabbitting session she is having with her fellow Gryffindor girls.

As they walk to the owlery, they make small talk about defense and who they think will advance to the next round for their class. Without a doubt, Sage says he will. Severus doesn't even try to be modest, just nods and adds Lily will move up too. As they round a corner in one of the corridors, they all but run into little Ravenclaw Phyllis Tuft.

The girl's eyes brighten at the sight of them. "Hiya!" she greets.

Sage shifts from foot to foot next to Severus. Amused, Severus returns in a much more subdued tone, "Hello. We are going to send off a letter to my mother. Do you care to join us?"

Tuft gapes at him as if he's just told her he's going to take her to see a unicorn. "Sure! I already sent off my own letter… But why not!" Falling into place on Sage's free side, she bats her lashes and says, "You were loads of fun to chat with on the train, Sage."

Sage's face burns and he mumbles something that sounds vaguely polite.

Holding back laughter, Severus asks, "Have you had defense yet this week?"

"I did!" she exclaims. "Professor Prince had us start dueling each other! I got to duel Mei Wong in Gryffindor. She's really wicked, you know? She used this spell that made birds come out of nowhere and fly at me. It was quite scary in the moment, but I was so distracted she got my wand away from me with no trouble at all! After class, I asked her to teach it to me and she agreed." Smiling broadly at the both of them, she explained, "I'm meeting with her by the Grand Staircase on Saturday morning so we can go outside to practice it!"

Severus nods along and lets the girl natter at them for the rest of the walk to the Owlery.

-O-

Twenty minutes after they manage to shake off Phyllis and find a spot in the library to study, Sage grumbles at him, "I wish you wouldn't have done that. She fancies me and I don't want to encourage it."

Severus smirks. "Afraid of a little girl, are you?"

"That's not it!"

He shoves a hand over his brother's mouth and looks around for Madam Pince. It doesn't take long at all to see her head sticking out from behind a bookcase, glaring at them. If they make any more loud noises, there's no doubt she'll ban them from the library for the rest of the month. "Then what's the problem?" Severus demands in a quiet, measured voice.

"It's just… How can she fancy me? She's  _eleven_." Then, quieter, Sage adds, "I've never fancied a girl."

Severus frowns. "There's nothing wrong with that," he says slowly. "Some just start having strong feelings earlier than others."

Sage sighs. "Do you really think so? Because I'm starting to think there's something wrong with me."

"No," he tells his brother firmly. "You are very normal."

He looks at him, eyes miserable. "You've fancied a girl, haven't you? What does it feel like?"

Severus has to look away. He's only ever really fancied one girl seriously, and that's Lily. Just thinking about those feelings makes his chest fill with a heavy, leaden weight. As much as he might want to, he can't act on those feelings. Not now, not when Lily still yearns and aches for a husband that is all but dead to her. Even so, Sage deserves to have an answer. Quietly, he explains, "The world's brighter when you're with them. The sky looks more blue, the grass greener. They shine with a light that makes them more vibrant than anyone else in a crowd."

His brother is quiet for a moment, seemingly absorbing this. Finally, he says, "Boyd tells me it's like breathing fresh air. When you're with a person you really, really like it's like you're in the country breathing in England's best air. You come away from them feeling better than before and giddy for the next time you'll get to see them."

"It's a little different for everyone," Severus admits. "But you come away from them  _knowing_ their special. Somehow, they just make everything better when you're with them."

Sage fiddles with his quill. "When I was little and used to go visit old school chums of my dad with him, there was one, in particular, I liked seeing. He had a son, Todd, who's actually just a year older than Boyd. When we'd go see him and his dad, he always made sure to include me in whatever game he and Boyd were playing – even when Boyd didn't want to, 'cause he thought I was a baby. He… He smiled really nice, you know? His teeth were very straight and white. Like a string of pearls. When he'd grin at me, I'd feel like I was sitting outside in the sun." His brother glances at him. "I'm a freak, aren't I?"

"No!" Severus disagrees immediately. "You're just… Well, hm. You do know it's possible to fancy more than just witches, right?"

The boy's expression turns to one of confusion. "Yes? I heard a story once on the Wireless about a wizard marrying a vampire."

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. Severus really doesn't think he's the best one to be explaining the complexities of sexuality to a teenage boy. He kept a purposeful blind eye when it came to his students and their romantic lives while he was a professor in his last life. "While, yes, it's possible to love a vampire, that's not what I mean. You can like wizards. Witches at the same time too."

Sage's eyes bulge. "That's okay?"

"To me, it is," replies Severus. "I can't say that everyone will approve. It's a bit like loving a Muggle."

"Oh," whispers Sage, visibly wilting.

Severus sighs. He hadn't meant to upset his brother. Reaching across the tabletop, he gives Sage's shoulder a squeeze. "Look, it's not the end of the world. Even if you do end up loving a wizard, chances are decent that Aunt Vesta and Boyd won't make much of a fuss about it. They claim me and Mum as family, don't they?" A self-deprecating smile on his face, Severus says, "And we're a blood-traitor and a mongrel."

"You're not a mongrel," denies Sage.

He rolls his eyes. "Right."

"Really!" Sage insists, looking far less dejected than he did just moments before.

It seems (much to Severus's relief) his words have sunk in some. Whoever Sage falls in love with, he knows his family is unlikely to turn their back on him entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	57. Expanding: XV

"I wanna be the champion of the second years."

Severus pauses in revising his recipe for a faux-Basilisk poison (which is not going well  _at all_ ) and looks over the edge of his diary at the scarred face of Scabior. Raising an eyebrow at the second-year, he says, "And what, pray tell, does that have to do with me?"

Scabior narrows his eyes in what he must think of as an intimidating slant as he says, "You know spells no one else does."

He sighs and closes his diary. The enchantments he placed on it previously engulfing the diary once more, making it night impossible to open without Severus. He reminds the boy, "Dueling is more than just spells."

"I know 'ow to duck an' dodge," Scabior reminds him.

Severus's gaze settles on the boy's scar. He supposes the second-year likely does. If that scar hasn't taught Scabior the importance of weaving and ducking, Severus doesn't know what will. Shrinking the diary down by half so it will fit more snuggly in his pocket, Severus stands up from his armchair and warns, "There's no guarantee you'll win."

Scabior nods along easily. "At least I'll 'ave a fightin' chance."

Unable to find a way to disagree, Severus presses his lips into a thin and warns, "Don't you brag to anyone about me helping you out. I'm not interested in tutoring all of Slytherin's third years and under."

The boy pauses next to him, eyes leery. "Why're you 'elpin' me then? I know it can't be 'cause we're mates."

Severus jerks his head in the direction of Scabior's scar. "I already let you get that. I'm not about to be responsible for another one."

Scabior's fingers go to it, tracing the curving raised line. "When I say it was your fault?"

"You didn't have to, I  _know_ it is."

The second-year scoffs, but doesn't disagree with Severus.

-o-O-o-

It's just the two of them again ( _finally)_. They are in their classroom they hardly visit together anymore; Lily sits on one desk, legs dangling over the tabletop's edge. Severus sits with his own crossed on another desk across from the girl. He's long ago set aside his diary of potions and plans and is just watching Lily in the dim candlelight as she pens her latest letter home to Petunia and her parents.

It reminds him he needs to write the Jones girls soon. They send pictures covered in vanish-resistant sparkles when he keeps them waiting too long on updates about the wondrous world of Hogwarts. Lily, who notices his looking, leaves her letter to dry on her knees as she puts aside her quill and re-corks her inkwell. She smiles at him. "Something on your mind?"

"Tomorrow is Defense."

Her head tilts sideways with confusion. "It is," she agrees.

He sighs. "We'll be dueling one another."

"Oh."

"Is that all you truly have to say on the matter?"

Lily puts her hands out in an open, helpless gesture. "What would you like me to say?"

Sometimes, Severus wishes Lily was better at thinking ahead. Thinking of everything and how it  _matters_ when all together. But since when did Gryffindor teach its pupils' forethought? Rubbing circles into his temple, Severus says, "We can't put our everything into it. We would arouse suspicions."

"Ah," Lily murmurs. "Perhaps we should pick a handful of spells to use?"

He eyes her. "How many? Three? Four?"

"Hmm… How about two 'advanced' spells and three or four ones any regular fourth year knows? Everyone already thinks we're a pair of geniuses, so it shouldn't be too odd for us to have a wider range of spells than most of our classmates."

Severus nods. Then, smirking, he gets up and gives her his hand to shake. "No matter who wins and loses, no hard feelings, right?"

Lily smiles back. "Of course!" Teasingly, she says, "Don't you dare go easy on me because we're mates, either!"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

-o-O-o-

The duels leading up to his and Lily's are for the most part quick and clumsy. The children have little clue what they are doing – even with several months of lessons on the matter from before today. If Severus were not used to incompetence, he may have been upset (his grandfather certainly seems to be). Thankfully, those he truly fears for (Sirius, Sage, dare he say it?  _James_ ) seem to at least be able to hold their own, even if they don't win in the end against their opponents. Severus is rather relieved in all honesty that Sage lost against Remus after the later used a rather clever evasion spell which let him get the upper hand and steal his brother's wand with ease. He wouldn't have wanted to go against the boy and defeat him with the same efficiency he's been using on all of his opponents today.

Lily faces off against Sirius. She, thankfully, puts the cocky lad right in his place. She dodges his sloppily aimed knockback jinx and easily freezes him in place with a firm, " _Locomotor Mortis!"_  and then as Sirius is trying to find a way to protect himself while stuck to the spot he stands in, Lily disarms him. When Lily does the reversal for the enchantment on him, he has the intelligence to look shame-faced. He knows he let his previous three wins get the better of him and Severus feels hopeful he'll remember that the next time he's in a duel. Just because he has a good track record does not mean he will always win.

Severus is far from pleased when it comes around to the last couple of rounds and he has to duel James. Severus more or less respects the prick these days, but dueling him reminds him of his true childhood. Unlike Sirius who'd let his previous victories go to his head, James seems very aware there's little (no) guarantee he will win this battle with Severus.

Changing up his tactics for the lad, Severus lets James cast the first spell. Deflecting it with a basic shielding charm, Severus throws back a jelly-fingers curse. James jerks out of the way of the tangerine current and casts an insect jinx at Severus in return. Smirking as he steps with ease out of the way of the jinx, Severus can't help but think perhaps he should copy James. Spell for spell.

He points his wand at James and repeats the incantation he spoke only seconds before. The boy's eyes blow wide behind his glasses and he ducks down hard to get out of the red light's path.

"Slugulus eructo!" the Gryffindor cries.

With the same smooth practice he's shown before, Severus raises his wand and says, "Protego!" which puts a barrier between him and the charm and causes the putrid green current to shoot off in the direction of the classroom's ceiling. Severus repeats the incantation for the slug-vomiting charm, wand still pointed in James's direction.

Unfortunately, when the boy tries to side-step the enchantment, he's not quick enough and it clips him in the shoulder. Moments later he's on his knees heaving up slugs by the dozens – wand a handspan away from him. Severus spells the wand into his hand and holds it up for his grandfather to see. Demitri calls him victor and summons a bucket to hand James as he vanishes the slugs that are currently on the ground.

Putting a hand on James's shoulder, he guides him up to stand and calls, "Is there anyone who'd like to assist Mr. Potter to the infirmary?"

No hand goes up immediately. There's some whispering among the remaining Marauders and he sees Sirius and Remus touch their noses. Peter scowls. "I'll take him, Professor!" he calls out, turning away from his now grinning mates.

Once James is gone, there are a couple of more duels. Both he and Lily spend little time letting their opponents practice their skills on them. They want to end this now so that they will duel today rather than drag this out another week. It'll both please Demitri to have his champion of the Gryffindor and Slytherin class and cut out the tension that's been growing between Severus and Lily as they prepare for the battle.

Finally, after Lily dispatches her final competitor, Severus's grandfather calls them to the front. He looks between them with a stern expression. "Remember that no serious harm should come to either of you during this duel."

Severus nearly rolls his eyes, but restrains himself to stop any chance of getting a detention. They know they need to be careful. Pretend to be less experienced than they are – even if it's not by much these days. They've been doing so since they first arrived back in the past without even a hint of an idea as to why. He and Lily square off with one another in preparation for the first spell. When their eyes are locked in a silent contest of who'll blink first, Severus seizes on the chance to cast a knockback jinx at Lily while she's distracted. Unfortunately, she's not as unaware in a duel as she is to the need to keep their true capabilities understated. Feigning right, she throws her own hex his way – Severus dodges it narrowly and directs a jelly leg jinx at Lily.

Lily, once again, dodges, red hair flowing away from her like a flag. Pointing at him, she yells out the incantation of his toenail-growing hex. While he almost completely misses it, the hex still manages to brush against his left leg. Cussing out his luck, he tosses up a quick shielding charm and casts the reversal on his feet. Long, gnarly toenails are still sticking out from his now ruined shoes, but they have stopped growing and will be a hindrance to him no longer.

When he looks back at Lily, he sees her smirking at him. It irks Severus enough that he decides to change up one of his "advanced" spells for a milder version of his cutting curse. He'll cast it just so when the opportunity arises and lob off the majority of Lily's hair. His friend has few vanities, but her hair is something she loves and cares for meticulously. It might just upset Lily enough that he can disarm her. It'll also show her for trying to make him look the fool in front of the other students.

(Let it be said, Severus was nothing if not a vindictive man).

Over the next few minutes, they exchange a range of jinxes and hexes, dodging and shielding themselves from them all with practiced ease. When Lily's gaze slides to the students watching them, Severus leaps on the opening to cast his cutting curse. It slices right through her hair, causing a cascade of red to flutter to the stone floor of the classroom.

Lily's expression becomes one of shock, only to turn quickly into one of anger-laced determination. At a rapid-fire pace, she shoots off alternating stinging and tripping jinxes. Severus imagines she hopes he'll step right into one, causing him either to drop his wand from the fall of a trip or from the pain of a stinging hex. Unfortunately for Lily, he's not easily ruffled. Jumping straight back, Severus yells out, " _Petrificus Totalus!"_

She stumbles as she attempts to throw herself out of the way of that one. Not wasting the weakness, he uses the same spell she used on Sirius at the start of class to freeze Lily's legs. She falls to the classroom floor hard, unable to move her legs. While Lily points her wand at her legs and tries to undo the curse, Severus silently summons her wand to himself.

"The winner is Mr. Snape!" Demitri calls out, a pleased note to his tone.

Severus knows better than to look at the man, to let him know he's happy to have not only won, but earned the man's pleasure as well. Instead, Severus walks over to Lily and cancels the curse on her legs. He hands her back her wand and says, "I don't have a hair-growing potion made right now, but I can have one for you by tomorrow."

Lily's hand goes to her unevenly cropped hair. "It's fine. I'm sure one of the girls in Gryffindor will offer one to me the minute they lay eyes on this hack job."

He smiles sheepishly. "I didn't plan on doing that," Severus tells her. "The idea just sort of came to me while we were dueling."

She smirks. "That was some clever thinking. It certainly made me mad enough to stop thinking straight."

"…You're not upset with me still, are you?"

His friend shakes her head. "No," answers Lily. "You stuck to our rules and it can be fixed easy enough." She smiles sweetly at him. "No harm done." Next, she holds out her hand and asks, "Are you going to help me up now, or just stand there?"

Severus barks a laugh before he gives Lily his hand and yanks her up to stand beside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	58. Expanding: XVI

"Severus!" rejoices Gwendolyn Jones. Letting go of her father's hand, she manages to dart away from him and through the thin crowd separating them to Severus in a matter of seconds.

Stumbling back from the force of her hug, he has to place a hand on top of her head to steady himself. "Hello, Gwendolyn."

She smiles broadly at him. "It's been  _forever_ since I saw you!"

"Ah, well, Hogwarts you know…" he murmurs, watching Mr. Jones come up behind his daughter.

Face red with irritation, he grabs Gwendolyn by the back of her cloak and yanks her off Severus. "Gwendolyn Eve Jones! What did I tell you before we left home?"

Now pouting, the girl sing-songs, "Stay by my side when we're on the street at all times."

"Your mother will be hearing about this," Mr. Jones tells Gwendolyn.

She wails, "I don't wanna scrub the bathroom floors!"

An unsympathetic frown on his face, the large man says, "Perhaps you'll listen better next time, eh?" Mr. Jones next looks at Severus, gaze slightly apologetic as he explains, "My wife gives the girls the chores they hate most when they misbehave, you see. I'm quite sorry about this."

Severus feels an amused smirk pull at his lips. A woman after his own heart. Giving students cleaning tasks had always been a favorite punishment of his as well. "It's no trouble, Mr. Jones," he says.

"It really was kind of you to agree to a meeting for a trip to Honeydukes, I know a lad your age would rather be with your mates."

Slowly starting to walk them in the direction of said sweet shop, Severus shakes his head. "Ah, well, Sirus has detention and Lily's having a day with her roommates."

"What about that other boy? Sage?"

"My brother. He's ill. Otherwise, he likely would have come."

Mr. Jones makes a sympathetic noise. "I hope he's not too poorly."

Severus nods. "No. Just a bit stuffed up and achy, he told me. He'd rather sleep than go out." He then feels a tug on his sleeve. He looks down to see Gwendolyn pouting at him. "Talk to  _meee_ ," she whines. "Did you win your duel?"

He gives a put-upon sigh. "If I must." Then, with a wink, to let the girl know he's only having a laugh, he tells her, "I won. Lily was a good opponent, but not nearly as skilled as I."

She claps her hands. "Yay!" Eyes big, Gwendolyn asks, "D'you think you'll be the winner of the entire school?"

Mr. Jones coughs into his hand as Severus shrugs. "We'll have to see, won't we?" Severus knows he could be. Though, he'll likely let someone else win. A fourth-year beating out a seventh or sixth year at dueling might be a bit too suspicious to happen without some wondering if Severus cheated. That's an accusation he'd rather not have following him around.

"You will, I think," replies Gwendolyn after a moment.

He finds himself smiling. "Oh?"

Surprisingly serious, the girl bobs her head. "Yes. 'Cause you protected me and Hestia during the summer. I bet none of the big kids your gonna duel have kept anyone safe like that."

Severus shares a brief look over Gwendolyn's head with her father, who seems a bit glassy-eyed from his daughter's words. He wonders how much their family talks about the attack. He's sure it's not left his mind that his daughter was nearly killed.

Softly, he concedes, "Perhaps you're right."

-o-O-o-

Tuesday afternoon it slowly passes around that they now have a second-year champion. To Severus (and likely his too) satisfaction, it is Scabior. The boy swans into Slytherin's dorm after dinner with a smirk on his face. Some of his fellow second-years look at him with envious, hateful eyes while a few get up to try and talk to him. They want to know what he does. Be his mate and reap whatever perks there are to being it. Scabior ignores them all. Well, except for Felicity Flint. he sticks his tongue out at her in a very uncouth, childish display.

The girl rolls her eyes and turns herself away to talk Maeve Goyle.

Severus never paid her or Scabior enough mind the first time to know if this… antagonistic relationship of theirs develops one way or another, but he can't say he'll be surprised if something happens between them down the line. Not that much will come of it. Or last, he suspects. Flint's family may not number among the elite right now, but they're on the up. As for the Scabiors… their status doesn't improve much, if at all over the next twenty or so years (perhaps that will be another thing that changes this time).

Severus is pulled from his thoughts when Scabior stops in front of him. "I want to beat Crouch."

"He's quite clever." He eyes Scabior. "More than you, I'd say."

The boy scowls. "Belt up!"

"That's not a good way to get me to help you, you know." Severus isn't all that worried about his coming duel with Dirk Cresswell on Friday, but he figures he may want to pretend he is. He shouldn't be assisting Scabior too much. Otherwise, he may end up having to face him in a duel. There's no way he'd let the little prick beat him, but it'd still be annoying if winning against Scabior leads him to being a sore loser that wants nothing to do with Severus. He's trying to  _help_ Scabior. Last year was difficult enough when it came to Scabior, he doesn't want to return to that after the dueling competition is over.

"Sorry," Scabior growls through his teeth finally.

Severus decides to be magnanimous and accept the apology. "Alright, he says. "I suppose I can offer a little more assistance."

He thinks he'll talk to Lily later. She might be open to practicing with Wong (the first years winner) so she can have a fighting chance against Scabior when the year-champions start facing one another. Plus, if she manages to win, it'll teach Scabior a good lesson about underestimating others.

-o-O-o-

"Good luck," says Sage as he passes him on his way to the front of the class.

Severus twists back around and smiles at his brother. "Thank you."

Popping up behind Sage, Sirius tells him, "Hurry up! I want to see you kick Cresswell's arse!"

As Sage jumps, he rolls his eyes. "Of course Sirius. Just for you."

The boy laughs, only for it to be cut short when Lily slips into place next to him and pinches his arm. "Stop distracting Severus," she hisses. "Go on, go up front." Then, a little hesitantly, she begs, "Don't toy with him too much, alright?"

He raises an eyebrow at Lily. He's not sure what's got her so worried, but he thinks a bit of assurance won't be amiss. "Of course."

She smiles in relief.

Trying to keep the amusement on his face, Severus turns away from them and goes to the spot his grandfather is gesturing for him to stand. Once he plants his feet in a ready-position and squares his shoulders, he takes in the boy, Dirk Cresswell, across from him. He's a stick right now. All long limbs and a skinny torso. He'll fill out, Severus knows. Though not by a lot. He always looked a little too thin for his height if he recalls correctly.

Cresswell's expression is a boy's version of fierce. Lips pulled down into a frown, brows pushed together. He looks ill more than he looks mean. As for Severus, he doesn't bother with faces. He just stares at his opponent, trying to think of what he may expect out of him once Demitri tells them to start. Cresswell's sharp. He nearly got away from the Muggle-born Registration Commission with a fake family tree. He escaped on his way to Azkaban once his tree was proved a forgery too and managed to do alright until the Death Eaters caught up with him and killed him.

While Severus suspects it'll be easy enough to dispatch the boy, he's curious enough to see where his skills are now to play with him for a bit.

"…And you may begin!" his grandfather finally declares.

Cresswell wastes no time. He shoots off a spell in Severus's direction almost instantly. Twisting out of its path, Severus throws back a leg-locking jinx. Cresswell dodges and blocks the next spell Severus casts at him in the process. Suitably impressed by the skill he sees the Muggle-born displaying, Severus lets him almost hit him with a hex before he deflects it at the last second.

As they continue to duel Severus finds himself less surprised and affected by the boy's skill and more curious. Is this how he managed to convince others he wasn't a Muggle-born in their first lifetime? By being a magical prodigy? Or did he have a friend growing up that was Magical – as Lily did? Or… Well, surely he'd have noticed before now if that were the case?

Exchanging several more spells, Severus finally sees his chance to take out the Ravenclaw. Severus calls out the incantation for a Jelly-Finger curse and watches Cresswell's expression turn to one of caught dismay as it hits his wand hand.

Instantly, his wand falls from his useless fingers. Severus calls the stick to him and holds it up for his grandfather, and the rest of the gathered, to see.

"And the fourth-year champion is Severus Snape!" proclaims his grandfather. There's not much smugness to his tone this time, but that is to be expected. Cresswell is fifteen, not twenty-five in a fifteen-year-old body (like Lily was). This is an expected win by not only Severus, but by Demitri and Lily too.

Even so, he seems pleased. Severus can't help but be happy about that. His mother discussed in her last letter to him that, if he's willing, she'd like for them to spend a few weeks at Demitri's home during the summer. Slowly, Severus is becoming receptive to the idea. Especially if it means his mother will continue to be this woman who writes him and asks about his time at Hogwarts rather than to just tell him pertinent information about things happening at home that he ought to know.

He walks over to Cresswell and hands him his wand. His fingers now fixed, thanks to Demitiri, the boy grabs it. "Good match," Severus compliments.

The towering lad sneers. "Yeah."

Severus bites back to the urge to cut into the prat. Instead, he steps back and heads over to where Lily, Sage, and the Marauders hover near the front of the Gryffindor and Slytherin crowd. To Severus's relief, Lily leaps forward to wrap him in an embrace. "Congratulationsions!" she cries.

Keeping his arm around her middle a moment longer than strictly necessary, he leans in so he can murmur in her ear. "Keep an eye on Cresswell. I think there's something there."

When he pulls away, the cheer has left Lily's face, to be replaced with worry. Severus instantly regrets saying anything. There's no way he'll be able to elaborate on it for some time yet. He should have just waited until this evening when they could go to their classroom to speak about it. Of course, it's too late now. He puts on his best happy face and talks with Sage and the Marauders as Lily regains her bearing and falls into place beside him. Her face plastered with its own fake grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	59. Expanding: XVII

"He might be like us."

"How are we going to find out for certain?"

"Watch him."

-o-O-o-

Unsurprisingly, watching Cresswell is a nigh impossible task for Severus. The boy appears to go out of his way to avoid places Severus is and will be. Which must be quite difficult for him, since Severus spends so much time in the library. Does he beg mates into getting him textbooks he needs to reference for homework and essays? If so, it's another tick on his list for Cresswell being a time-traveler like himself and Lily. Why else would he keep such a distance from Severus when possible? He's never done anything to the Ravenclaw. Not in this lifetime, anyway.

Lily, thankfully, has better luck. Cresswell seems much less leery of her than he is of Severus. Perhaps because she's Gryffindor. Maybe because she's a Magical Madonna who died a pure and selfless death for her child. Either way, he's thankful. Lily reports back to Severus frequently about the things she sees Cresswell doing.

The most interesting observation she has to share is told to him a week before the commencement of the school-wide dueling competition between the champions of the seven years. "I've seen him practicing with Mei Wong in the courtroom outside," Lily tells him. "I think he's tutoring her."

Severus turns this information over in his head. "Interesting."

"He could just hate Slytherins for some reason," suggests Lily that same afternoon.

He nods. "But  _why_?"

"Rosier doesn't like him, does he?"

"No."

Lily replies, "If Rosier's a prick to him, that could be why."

Severus sighs. "I wish I could get him alone for a moment and use legilimency to see if there's anything there…"

She wraps her arms around herself and shakes her head. "I really hate when you suggest plans like that. Your head should be the last place you have to worry about people getting into."

He scowls. "I wouldn't if another option were available."

Lily begins to drum her fingers along her thigh. "I could talk to him?"

"And say what? Hey, Cresswell, have you ever died before?"

His friend glowers at him. "I could think of something with more finesse than  _that._ "

Severus rolls his eyes and turns away.

She puts a hand on his shoulder. "Sev," Lily murmurs.

Reluctantly, he looks at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You don't have to be responsible for everything. I can handle this, okay?"

After a moment of hesitation, he agrees. "Very well."

-o-O-o-

Lily doesn't rush into things with Cresswell. She thinks about it. Perhaps even overthinks it. But she wants to do this  _right._  For Severus. Considering how she can approach this puzzle, she looks for the most natural piece to use as a bridge between her and the Ravenclaw. Lost in thought a couple of nights later, she's pulled away from her conundrum when, from her armchair closest to the Gryffindor common room's fire, Lily hears Frank say, "Cutting it a bit close to curfew, aren't you, Wong?"

The little girl sheepishly looks at the scuffed-up leather of her mary-janes.

"I'd hate to give the first-year's champion a detention."

Quietly, Wong mumbles, "I'll be more mindful next time."

Frank smiles at her. "That's all I'm asking, thank you, Wong."

Lily knows exactly how she's going to get herself properly introduced to Cresswell.

-O-

The next morning, Lily makes a point of sitting next to Wong at breakfast. The girl jumps a little and looks at Lily with a dubious glint to her pretty brown eyes. Lily smiles. "Mei Wong, right?" she asks.

"Yes."

She offers the girl her hand. "I'm Lily Evans."

Dubious glint now outright suspicion, Wong still manages to be polite enough to shake hands with Lily. Doing her best to pretend as if she doesn't notice the girl's unease, Lily chatters, "So you're the first-year's champion, huh? That's pretty wicked. My friend, Severus, is fourth year's."

"The Slytherin," supplies Wong.

She nods. "The one with the long hair, if you want to be specific. I count Sage, the other Slytherin you've probably seen me with, as a mate these days too."

Wong doesn't say anything, just stares awkwardly at Lily, fingers inching toward the apple on her plate.

Lily sighs. "I noticed the other day you were practicing your dueling with Dirk Cresswell."

She freezes.

Hurriedly, Lily assures, "I thought that was very clever of you to do! Severus has been helping out a second year named Scabior himself."

Wong relaxes slightly. A little pink around the cheeks, she mumbles, "Really? Don't you think it's cheating? Elliot says it's not fair of me to be getting help when he and the rest of our year weren't for the preliminaries."

"No! Not at all. Abercrombie's just jealous."

The girl is smiling at Lily now. Her relief and pleasure palpable. "That's what my mum said in her last letter."

"She's a clever lady."

Wong blooms at the words. She chats easily with Lily for the rest of breakfast about her practices with Cresswell and the things he's teaching her. Some of the spells seem a bit advanced for a fourth year to know, let alone be teaching a first year, but Lily makes a point of not letting this show. She needs to gain Wong's trust just enough so that Lily may invite herself along on the next session she has with the Ravenclaw. When the girl begins to peter out, Lily asks, "How did he become your tutor anyway? Did you ask him to?"

"No," answers Wong. "Dirk saw me mock-dueling with some of my dormmates and he called me over after we were done and said he thought I had a knack for it." Blushing once again, she mumbles, "Then he asked if I'd like him to help me."

"You lucky girl," Lily teases. "He's not half-bad to look at either, is he?"

Wong turns bright red.

Lily laughs and thinks she may be right. Wong could fancy Cresswell. Or, perhaps, if the Ravenclaw is a time-travel he had fancied her once upon a time. Maybe they'd been married. Severus has said Cresswell had a wife and children. She gives the first year a nudge with her elbow. "I'm just having a little laugh at you. I'm sorry, Wong."

She smiles back at Lily. "It's alright."

"When are you due for your next practice session?"

The girl pulls back her sleeve to reveal a delicate gold-chained watch. "Um, in ten minutes."

Not even having to feign concern, Lily frets, "Oh dear. Will you be able to get wherever you're meeting in time?"

Wong fiddles with her watch, not answering.

Rising to a stand, Lily gently grabs the girl's arm and pulls her up. "Come on, I'll come with you and tell him it was my fault. I got you distracted telling me all about the work you two have been putting into the competition."

She doesn't fight Lily's grip, if anything, she relaxes under it. Taking lead, Wong guides them through Hogwarts until they reach a courtyard nearly on the other side of the school fifteen minutes later. Cresswell pushes off against the wall at the sight of them. "Mei– I– What are you doing here, Evans?"

"We were chatting about her practices with you over breakfast and lost track of time." Putting a hand over her chest, she says, "And that's probably my fault more than hers. So, I came to apologize."

Cresswell looks as if he doesn't quite believe Lily, but he doesn't escalate things and call her a liar. Instead, the Ravenclaw jerks his head in a way that one could describe as a terse nod. "It's fine."

Lily smiles with relief. "If you don't mind, could I sit over there and watch you two? I was really impressed by your skill when you were facing off against Severus the other day. I'd love to see what you're teaching Wong, here."

Wong is staring hopefully at Cresswell, whose expression has soured. It fades, however, when he glances at Wong and sees the longing in her eyes. Lily's quite certain the girl wants to impress her. She has a feeling not many Gryffindor upper years have given the first year so much as the time of day before her. He sighs. "Fine," he grumbles. "Just keep out of the way."

She beams and hurries to a pillar just out of what should be the casting range for either of the children. Even so, Lily puts up a shielding charm that will guard against the more basic spells they may cast.

From her place, she watches them slowly circle one another. Both wear calm, unreadable masks; faster than a snitch, Wong shoots off a hex in Cresswell's direction. The boy deflects it with a spell of his own and then casts one back, which Wong almost gets hit with when she stumbles.

"Pick your feet up when you move! Don't just slide them!" Cresswell yells at Wong.

The girl nods. They return to a ready-position and start to duel anew once again. Cresswell doesn't give Wong the chance to cast any spells this time, he sends them off at a surprising pace at her. Admirably, she blocks most, only getting clipped once with what Lily now recognizes at a cutting curse. The child hisses and puts a hand over her shoulder where her robe is sliced and she's likely bleeding.

Cresswell nods at her. "Good," he declares. "You blocked a lot more today."

Wong's not facing Lily anymore, but if the faint smile on Cresswell's face is anything to go by, Lily suspects she's grinning. The two cast jinxes and hexes at each other for the next twenty minutes, neither so much as pausing to catch a breath. It only ends when Wong manages to hit Cresswell in the knee with a Jelly-Legs Jinx.

He tumbles to the ground when it happens, but he goes down smirking. "Brilliant, Mei!" praises Cresswell. "You'll definitely beat Crouch if you keep this up!"

Lily can't keep silent any longer. "You're not worried about Scabior, are you?"

The Ravenclaw scoffs. "Why in Merlin's name would we?"

"Severus has been giving him pointers."

He scowls. "Of course he has."

She stares at him. "Are you really so surprised?"

Cresswell casts the reversal on his legs and stands back up on his slightly shaky legs. "No, I suppose I'm not."

"I must say, I'm a bit curious why you're taking an interest in Wong," replies Lily. "She's not even a part of your house."

His eyes drift to the girl, who's quietly fiddling with her wand as the two of them converse. "She's got talent."

Wong goes pink once again.

Lily smiles. "That she does. Wong, would you mind going ahead to the kitchen to ask the elves for some biscuits? I think you and Cresswell deserves a treat after such an impressive display." She looks at the boy. "Don't you agree?"

He's glowering at her, but nods. "Yes. Mei, you know how to get inside, don't you?"

"I tickle the pear?" she offers, sounding slightly uncertain as she answers.

"That's right," says Lily with a reassuring smile.

She nods. "I'll see you soon?"

They answer in the affirmative and watch her go. When Wong is out of sight, Lily returns her sights to Cresswell. "You could make quite the impressive professor someday," she tells him. "Or maybe a father is more up your alley?"

"What are you getting at, Evans?" he demands.

Heart pounding in her chest, Lily keeps up her fake-musings. "I think if I become a mother someday, and have a son, I'll name him Harry."

Cresswell's eyes blow wide. Then, they slant into dangerous slits. "Harry?"

"Yes," Lily confirms. Fingers so tight around her wand she's sure it will splinter any moment, she goes on, "Harry James. It has a nice ring to it, don't you agree?"

The Ravenclaw stares at her in silence for the longest time. Finally, he whispers, "You… You're from  _there_ too, aren't you?"

"The future?" she prompts.

Cresswell shakes his head. "It can't be the future. Things are far different from our past there."

She smiles wryly. "As I've said to Severus, it's impossible for things to stay the same when we've already lived this once before."

"Him too?"

She nods. "Everything makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it?"

He frowns. "Yes," he answers grudgingly after a moment. "…You trust him? A  _Death Eater_?"

"A spy, actually."

"Spy?"

Lily takes a few minutes to explain all that she knows to Cresswell about Severus's role in the wars. When she's done, he stares at her as if he's having trouble believing her. "I know that what I just said sounds mad," she says, "but I believe it's the truth."

"No, no, I believe you…" he mumbles. "Some of the rumors I heard don't sound so insane now."

She wants to ask what the gossip about Severus Cresswell heard was, but she just dips her chin agreeably. Wong is waiting for them in the kitchen and after, Severus is waiting for her. Perhaps she can even convince Cresswell to come with her. "I'm glad," replies Lily. "Shall we go to the kitchen now? We've left poor Wong waiting long enough."

He doesn't answer, but he does start toward the doors, holding it open expectantly for Lily so she may follow him through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	60. Expanding: XVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you are interested, I have started a new series called Gratias Vobis Ago. It will have ten one-shots in all when completed. Some of those one-shots will connect into the Rubble Flower series. Currently, three of the series one-shots are posted. They are "Framed", "Grasp the Nettle" and "The Becoming". "Framed" and "The Becoming" are two stories unto themselve and "Grasp the Nettle" is one that ties into Rubble Flowers. You all can expect the last seven to go up over the course of the rest of the month.

Cresswell stands, arms wrapped around himself in a tight hug. As for Lily and himself, they sit at adjoining desks. Her in one of the desks' chairs, Severus on the desk's tabletop. Something not far from disgust curls at the corners of Cresswell's lips. Severus can't say he's surprised. Cresswell is a Ravenclaw, and they often do hold a certain amount of reverence for Hogwarts' property – even the desks. He likely thinks Severus is being disrespectful, maybe that he's even a git of ginormous proportions.

Severus tries not to be bothered. Cresswell was an all but a stranger in his first lifetime and he's little better in this one. But if they are to work together… He sighs. This is not going to be easy. Cresswell already disapproves of him. Abliet, for a valid reason. He was once a Death Eater, one who stood for a cause that wanted his (and Lily's) kind eradicated. On the other hand, he wasn't anymore. Surely Lily's trust in him should have inspired Cresswell by now to give him a benefit of a doubt? He minutely shakes his head to rid himself of his inner debate.

Uncrossing his legs and letting his feet slip over the desk's edge to scrape the floor, he asks, "When did you…" he trails off, considering how best to describe their beginning in this universe. " _Arrive_ here?"

Cresswell blinks. "The summer before we started Hogwarts. Late June, I think."

"That's when we woke up in Cokeworth too, isn't it, Sev?" says Lily, looking at him.

This makes the Ravenclaw across from them raise an eyebrow. "Both of you woke up in a  _Muggle_ town?"

"Yes," Severus answers curtly. He's not interested in getting into the mess that is his family.

Lily, however, has no issues sharing for him. "His dad was a Muggle."

"…And you became a Death Eater?"

He can't stop himself from brandishing his teeth like a werewolf. The derision in Cresswell's tone is palpable and Severus isn't so sure he cares if they have the other's help anymore. He could just obliviate him instead and he and Lily could go back to it being just them against the world.

"Gentlemen," rebukes Lily, rising to a stand. "This posturing is going to get us no anywhere."

Cresswell looks surprisingly chastised at Lily's words. As for Severus he reluctantly settles back down because Lily is right and even if he and Lily do decide in the end to obliviate this prick, he'd rather they do it after they know everything Cresswell does. Taking control of the situation, Lily smiles. "Now, Dirk, I'm sure you have some questions for us too?"

He nods. "Do you know why we're here?"

Lily wilts as Severus thins his lips. She evidently hoped he would know more than either of them about this time traveling than they do (Severus had as well). Quietly, he answers for both of them, "No. All we know is that we're here to do better."

The Ravenclaw appears shocked at their words. "You felt that too?" questions Cresswell. "When I woke up I just… I just knew instantly that I was here for a reason. I guess it's why I've managed to stay sane. As odd as this has all been, painful, and embarrassing, I've been able to get by because of that feeling."

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Lily tilting her head. "Is that why you've taken to tutoring Mei Wong?"

He blushes. "Ah, a bit," he answers. "Before she was my wife."

Lily smiles. "She already seems to fancy you."

He grins back. "You think so?"

"Are we really wasting our time talking about a little girl's crush?" He turns a sneer on Cresswell. "I'd stop looking so pleased if I were you. Lusting after a child is hardly anything to be proud of."

"Severus!" Lily decries as Cresswell's expression turns to one of outrage.

Unfortunately for Cresswell, Severus is far better at planning ahead. He has his wand drawn before Cresswell even thinks to reach for his own. A moment later, he has the Ravenclaw disarmed. Realizing he's been magically outmaneuvered, Cresswell's expression becomes one of fury before he leaps at Severus. Not nearly as prepared for a physical altercation as he was for a magical one, Severus does not manage to get out of the way in time. Cresswell's lanky body slamming into him, they both send the desk Severus is sitting on crashing to the ground with them.

Lily is yelling at both him and Cresswell. But they ignore her in favor of trying to murder one another. Cresswell attempts to choke Severus, but he keeps him at bay for the moment by trying to gauge the Ravenclaw's eyes out in return. After a moment, Severus manages to flip them over, so he is the one on top. Once there, he punches Cresswell right in the nose.

He feels and hears the Ravenclaw's nose crack. Cresswell cries out. His broken nose doesn't stop him, however, if anything, it only eggs him on. With renewed strength and anger, he grabs hold of Severus's shoulders and knocks their heads together. Severus vision doubles and he can no longer tell where Cresswell's jabs are coming from. Throwing up his arms to protect his face from further attacks, he pulls back and curls inward to protect his stomach and chest too. As the Ravenclaw knocks him back and continues to beat on him, Lily screams at the top of her lungs:

" _STUPEFY!_ "

Cresswell slumps forward, now dead, bloody weight on top of Severus. A moment later, the other is being pulled off of him. When Cresswell's weight is gone, Lily's red, teary, incensed face fills his vision. "I'm going to fix you up the best I can," she promises. "When Dirk wakes, you are going to do the same for him." Pulling him up into a sitting position none-too-gently, Lily growls, "And you are going to apologize for being an absolute bastard to him."

"Shouldn't he have to apologize too?" Severus mutters as Lily cleans the blood from his face and robes.

She glares at him. "Yes, but for a Hell of lot less, I'd say. You deserved most of what you got. Honestly, what were you thinking? Calling the poor man a  _pedophile_ of all things?"

Severus licks his swollen lips. His stomach is sloshing like a stormy sea and he's rather certain he's concussed. Has to be. Otherwise, why would he feel the start of a confession on the tip of his tongue? "He already loathed me," he tells his friend. "I reckoned I may as well make him hate me for a proper reason rather than because of who I used to be."

Lily voice is tremulous as she pushes snarled hair away from his face. "Oh, Sev…"

Clumsily, he pushes her away. "Stop."

Her hands fall to her lap. They just stare at each other for a moment. Finally, she says, "You still need to apologize."

He sighs. "Very well."

-O-

Shortly after Cresswell wakes with a groan, Lily helps him sit up and then assists Severus with gathering the necessary supplies for fixing the Ravenclaw up. For a few minutes, she hovers close by as Severus takes stock of Cresswell's injuries. After Severus helps clean the blood from Cresswell's face, Lily tells them she's going to step out to visit the loo.

Cresswell expression turns to one of shock. "You're going to leave me  _alone_ with him?"

"Severus and I had a little chat while you were out." She levels him with a stern glare. "He'll behave himself."

He can't help himself. "As long as you behave yourself as well," warns Severus.

The Ravenclaw starts to sneer, only to wince when his hostile expression causes his broken nose to move.

Lily points at Severus. "Fix it," she orders before turning heel and leaving them alone.

Severus picks up his wand and waves it over the other's broken nose. "Episkey."

Cresswell hisses out a breath of pain as his nose rights itself.

Putting his wand away, Severus relents to the knowledge he can't put off an apology any longer. Meeting the other's guarded gaze he says, "I feel I should apologize."

The Ravenclaw scoffs. "Oh? Do you now?"

Severus ignores his tone and picks up the bruise slave Lily brought to him only fifteen minutes before and applies it to Cresswell's mottled face. Watching the bruises rapidly age he says, "I shouldn't have implied you wanted to have sex with a child. I'm sorry."

"I probably shouldn't have attacked you," grudgingly replies Cresswell. "Sorry."

Feeling there is no more he can do for the other, Severus packs away the last of his supplies. "You still look a bit rough, but you should be as good as new in a couple of days."

Eyes mulish and reluctant, he says from behind clenched teeth, "Thanks."

"You're welcome." For a moment, Severus stares back at him. "I'm not what you think I am."

Cresswell frowns. "You're not what you think you are either," he replies.

Severus can't entirely keep the amusement out of his voice. "I don't think much about myself at all."

The Ravenclaw shoves himself up into a stand. "Maybe that's your problem. You don't try and be what  _you_ think you should be, but what you think others want you to be – or to what their purposes need you to be." Brushing a hand down his robes to smooth out the creases, he says to Severus, "Look, if you and Lily need me for something important that will make sure what happened to us the first time won't again, I'll help. Otherwise, just leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with either of you outside of making a better world."

He nods, doing everything he can to ensure that Cresswell can't see his words have rattled him. "Understood. I'll let Lily know."

Cresswell starts to leave. However, just before he leaves, he turns his head and looks at him. "I'll be cheering for your opponents in the dueling competition, just so you know."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

For a minute or so, Severus stays sitting. When he hears Lily return, Severus twists around to look at her. Lily's face is one of worry. He gets up to meet her where she hovers just past the classroom's threshold. "Where's Dirk?" she demands.

"He left."

She begins to drum her fingers along her middle at a rapid tempo. "What did he say before he went?"

"He'll help us if we need him for anything truly important to creating a better future."

"I'm sensing there's a condition here."

Reluctantly, he mutters,"Cresswell wants us to otherwise leave him alone."

Lily sighs. "Just you, or both of us?"

" _You_ and me," he answers with a bit of a bite. He's annoyed that she thinks he'd rather have any more to do with her than him.  _She_ did bring him to Severus, after all. He's rather certain Cresswell has put Lily on his list of those to avoid now too.

She growls low in the back of her throat. Running her hands through her hair roughly, she snaps, "That's just great!" Eyes flashing, she yells, "He could be the only other one of us!"

Severus does his best not to flinch. Lily may have a point. Yet… since she confirmed Cresswell is a time-traveler like them, a new speculation has begun to burgeon in the forethoughts of his mind. Perhaps now is the time to share it. "…No," he replies. "I don't think so."

Lily opens her mouth, then closes it. After a pause, she asks, "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "It's curious, wouldn't you agree?"

"What?" demands Lily, exasperation on the edge of tone. "What's curious?"

Severus rattled off for her, "I'm Slytherin, you're a Gryffindor, and Cresswell is a Ravenclaw."

"Okay…?"

"Something tells me we're missing a Hufflepuff from our little time-traveling club," he replies.

Lily's eyes go wide. Then, nodding eagerly, she questions, "Do you reckon it's a Hufflepuff in our year?"

He nods. "That would make sense, wouldn't it?"

Lily's lips pucker thoughtfully. "How are we going to figure out who it is?"

"Carefully," answers Severus.

She glowers, making her displeasure with his vague answer clear. "Do you think they'll know why we are here?"

Severus ponders his friend's question. They very well could, he thinks. Cresswell didn't know, they didn't know, so who else will if not this Hufflepuff? Is there potentially a fifth traveler out there? Severus simply doesn't have enough information to say. Finally, he settles on an answer. "Perhaps." He tries not to, but he finds himself chuckling in a way that sounds just shy of hysterical to his ears. Severus can already picture the ugly, outraged face Cresswell will make when he and Lily approach him for assistance with finding the time traveler among the Hufflepuffs so soon after their disastrous meeting today. Maybe it's best until they wait until after Wong and Scabior's duel to broach the subject with him.

While Severus would prefer to find them this year, he's not particularly worried if they stay an unknown a while longer. Like them, like Cresswell, they appear to have the sense and skill to keep their foreknowledge (or is prior knowledge?) to their self.

-o-O-o-

He uses his elbow to break through the walls of students and make it to the front of the crowd. Once there, he weaves and ducks between a few more people until he's at an angle that will give him the best view of Scabior as he's dueling. Catching the second-year's gaze, he gives him a smirk. The boy grins back with a confident smile of his own.

Severus has high hopes for Scabior. As long as the brat remembers not to let his hubris get the better of him, he shall win this duel against Mei Wong with little trouble. She may be trained by Cresswell, but Severus beat the Ravenclaw in his own duel against him. Severus rips his gaze away from the boy when a hand grips his right arm.

He yanks it away – expecting that it is an upper-year who might be upset he took their "spot" – and turns his head to see, to his surprise, Sirius smirking at him. When did he learn how to be quiet? "I managed to sneak up on you, did I?"

Severus rolls his eyes, but otherwise does not deign to answer.

"Hey, is there a reason Cresswell over there is trying to murder you with his glare?" asks Sirius after a moment.

Following his mate's gaze across the dueling platform, he sees the Ravenclaw staring at him with a sharp frown on his face. "He tutored Wong in preparation for the duel," Severus answers.

"And…?"

Severus looks up at Scabior who's fidgeting in his spot while he waits for Demitri to introduce them to the crowd and start the duel. "I trained Scabior."

Sirius gapes. "What? Why did I never hear about this!"

"I told Scabior to keep his mouth shut about it," Severus answers.

The other boy whistles low. "And he listened? Wow!"

Severus is about to chide Sirius about how Scabior is perfectly capable of using sense when it suits him and how he has no room to talk, really, when Demitiri steps into the center of the platform. Slowly, the buzz of the students around them turns into only the occasional whisper. The old man keeps up a stern expression as he outlines the rules for the duel and introduces their contenders. First-years and Gryffindors alike clap, cheer, and whistle after Demitri says Wong's name. The same, perhaps even a little louder, occurs with the second-years and Slytherins when his grandfather finishes introducing Scabior.

Once Demitri settles the students back down with the help of Professor McGonagall and steps off the platform, he indicates for Scabior and Wong to begin. Unsurprisingly, Scabior casts the first spell. Wong ducks and sends off a hex of her own. Scabior throws up a shielding charm, which causes the spell to bounce off toward the Great Hall's ceiling.

Sirius grabs his arm and says, "You and Cresswell did great with them! I was sure this duel would be over by now."

Severus, who isn't sure if he should be offended on Wong and Scabior's behalf, or pleased by the compliment, just nods and doesn't for a moment look away from the dueling pair. Scabior's face is determined as he slowly inches to the right, shielding charm still activated, as Wong sends off a rapid-fire combination of what Severus can now see are knockback jinxes and jelly-finger curses.

He can't be sure, but Severus thinks Wong is trying to crack Scabior's shield with her barrage. Unfortunately, she is so focused on this course of action. She fails to see what Scabior is doing. When Scabior reaches the spot he'd carefully made his way toward, he lets his charm drop and ducks as another curse comes his way and shoots off a toenail-growing hex at Wong.

Caught off guard by Scabior's strategy, the girl doesn't have time to dodge it. After being hit, her toenails burst out of the toes of her mary-janes. Interestingly, she doesn't fall to pieces. Instead, she narrows her eyes at Scabior and ignores her rapidly growing toenails in favor of casting yet another enchantment at him. Thankfully, Scabior notices and gets out of the way.

Wong tries several more times to take out Scabior where she's rooted to her spot, but Scabior can not only shield against them, but dodge and duck too. Finally, after a few more failed attempts on Scabior's part to disarm the girl, he succeeds.

Slytherin and the second-years of Hogwarts explode from delight. The Great Hall fills with their triumphant shouts and applause. Beside Severus, Sirius pats his back. "He won! He won!" Laughing, he says, "That little git won because of you!"

Severus flashes his friend with a brief grin before returning his attention to Scabior. The boy's staring at him, eyes bright and hopeful. Severus cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, "Well done!"

Scabior smiles proudly. His chest puffing out, he turns his attention to the rest of the crowd and pumps his wand into the air in victory. Students cheer louder. Eyes moving away from the scene, Severus looks to Wong. She's been detached from the platform by Demitri and her toes cut back so she can walk. He watches her hobble off the platform and into the waiting arms of Cresswell.

He's certain Wong is crying. Part of Severus wants to roll his eyes. What a childish, spoiled response to a fair loss. But he also knows she put in just as much – if not more – work into preparing for this duel as Scabior did. This might be her first true disappointment in life. The first time she's had to face that sometimes, putting all the effort in the world into something does not mean you will get what you want.

After a few moments, Cresswell lifts his gaze from Wong and meets Severus across the platform. There's nothing he can do so far away. Say. So Severus looks back at the Ravenclaw. Gaze steady and neutral. Finally, he nods. Severus hopes Cresswell understands it is both a gesture of condolence and one of respect.

After what feels like an age, Cresswell nods back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	61. Expanding: XIX

A couple of days after Scabior and Wong's duel and three before his own with Marlene McKinnon, Severus and Lily decide now is the time to tell Cresswell about their theory. It takes a bit of searching on their part, splitting up more than once to speed the process along, but they manage to find the Ravenclaw. Severus and Lily come across him in a lesser used corridor near the Gryffindor tower sitting on the sill of one of Hogwarts's large windows.

At first, he doesn't seem to notice them. Cresswell has his legs pulled close to his chest and every now and again the tip of a quill's feather pops up over his bony knees. Severus wonders what it is the Ravenclaw is writing and why he's doing it in this corridor rather than somewhere a little more typical like his dorm or the study hall. When they get closer, Lily purposefully clears her throat, (which earns her a glare from Severus, who had been all for getting near enough to hopefully catch a glimpse of the Ravenclaw's scribblings) and Cresswell's head jerks up. Without a moment of hesitation, he slaps his notebook close and Severus catches a glimpse of its cover. It's a simple black leatherbound diary.

Involuntarily, he cringes. The scene reminds him of Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts when the Weasley girl spent all her time writing in a similar black diary. He'd not thought too much of it as it was happening – especially with all else going on that year, but once he learned the truth of the matter…

Severus shakes his head. Now is not the time to be thinking about the Horcruxes (he's not even sure he knows where the diary is at this time). As he refocuses on Cresswell and Lily, he notices they are looking at him oddly.

"Alright there?" asks the Ravenclaw with a note of suspicion.

He nods. "Fine."

Next to him, Lily murmurs, "Sev…"

"Honestly," Severus hisses, "I'm  _fine_."

She frowns, but lets it go.

Cresswell glances between them. "What made you decide to seek me out today? Not to call me a pedophile again, I hope."

Severus's muscles tighten in preparation to spring. Before he can so much as say a take a step forward, however, Lily has a death-grip on his arm to hold him in place as she answers firmly, " _No_."

The Ravenclaw raises an eyebrow. "Well then? Why are you bothering me now?"

Lily's brows furrow with disgruntlement. "We're not bothering you. You said we could speak to you if we needed your help."

Cresswell loses most of his attitude at that. Unfurling from the sill, he tucks his diary away and asks, "You two are quick, aren't you? What is it you need my help with?"

Severus takes over to explain. "Since we learned that you are like us, it has struck me that we are each of a different house, but the same age."

A contemplative look comes to the Ravenclaws gaze. "You think there's a Hufflepuff in our year who is a time traveler too?"

"It makes sense, wouldn't you agree?"

Cresswell's expression sours, as if he wants to disagree, yet can't say so because he doesn't. "Do you have any ideas on who the time traveler could be?"

He sighs. "No."

The Ravenclaw is quiet a moment. "You?" Creswell directs at Lily.

She blinks, seemingly surprised he's asking her after Severus answered for them. However, he isn't. Cresswell doesn't trust Severus and doesn't realize just how much of a team he and Lily are when it comes to matters like this. To soothe the offense he feels at his word not being enough for the other, Severus reminds himself Cresswell will figure it out soon enough.

In spite of everything, the Ravenclaw is an intelligent man.

"No," Lily answers.

Cresswell scratches his chin thoughtfully. "I can't think of anyone off of the top of my head who could be it, but I could talk to one of my housemates about introducing me to some of her Hufflepuff boyfriend's mates." He looks at them, assessing. "Unless you two have any better ideas?"

"No, your plan sounds brilliant," Lily assures Cresswell. "Just let us know if you need any help or a second opinion?"

He nods. "Alright." Then, warningly, he says, "My plan might end up being a bit slow-going."

"That's fine," Severus tells him. "We expected whatever course of action that we all agreed upon could be."

Cresswell frowns, as if he doesn't know whether he should feel insulted by Severus's words or be relieved he and Lily don't have unreasonable expectations for what's to come. It pleases Severus more than it probably should.

-o-O-o-

Standing on a dueling platform is not a new sensation to Severus, but it feels different today. Perhaps because he knows there are people hoping he'll win – and not just because they bet money on him. Casting his gaze out over the sea of teenagers, he looks for a few familiar faces in particular. Even though he is friends with both, and they have spent years in each other's company, it is still uncommon to find Sage and Lily together when he's not there to stand with them.

Today, however, the uncommon sight has occurred. Sage and Lily stand side by side, but not only that, they are talking to one another. When they notice he's staring at them, Lily grabs Sage's robe and points at him. She grins and waves. Sage smiles too, then, silently, mouths what may be 'good luck'. All the same, he nods at both, acknowledging their encouragement. Severus is surprised yet again when a few moments later he sees the Marauders take up space around Lily, and then Regulus appear from behind Sirius.

Someone must have made a joke of some kind, as a moment later, Sirius pulls out his wand and then all of their robes turn Slytherin green – much to the chagrin of the fellow Gryffindors in his company. It makes him raise an eyebrow at the boy, but Sirius only winks when he sees his inquisitive look. Severus can't deny he feels a bit fond of Sirius at that.

The Gryffindor is still the annoying, mischievous soul Severus knew him to be from his first life, but now it's manifested in a way that is light-hearted and truly all in good fun, rather than used as a veil for his bullying and mean-streak.

Gaze slowly meandering away from them, it doesn't take Severus long at all to spy Clara. She's standing hand in hand with Benjy, giggling now and then, when the boy tilts his head to whisper something in her ear. When she sees him looking, she blushes, before making a well-wishing gesture at him. He smiles at Clara before he returns to scanning the crowds once more.

He doesn't have to look long before he spots Cresswell. He's conversing with a few of his fellow Ravenclaws and there's a couple of Hufflepuffs mixed into his little group too. Severus is pleased to see he's taking the task of finding the other traveler seriously. When Cresswell picks up on Severus's stare, he sneers and turns his gaze pointedly to McKinnon, who stands on the other side of the platform, bouncing on her heels as she waits for the instructions from Demitri.

Severus rolls his eyes and moves on from the Ravenclaw. There's a couple of others he's curious to find in the crowd yet. It takes a little longer, but he has to do a double-take when he sees that Scabior and Wong are standing with each other just a couple of rows back from the platform. Scabior doesn't appear to be antagonizing the girl, in fact, he looks pleased with himself. And the girl almost looks happy.

He feels satisfied knowing she's recovered from her loss and is making friends of her opponent.

After a moment, Scabior locks eyes with him. A grin that means trouble on his face, he brings his fingers to his mouth and whistles loudly. A few students around him turn their heads and glare, but Wong laughs, hands over her ears. It's then she notices Severus. Instead of looking weary or upset, she waves. Face open and friendly.

Severus should feel grateful that Cresswell didn't poison her mind with fear or hate for him, but, really, he just feels uneasy. What could he have possibly done to earn such an amicable response from the girl? Had Scabior (Merlin forbid) enchanted her before the duel? He hopes not. That's a lecture Severus was looking to avoid giving the boy.

Just as he begins to contemplate a using legilimency on Scabior, and maybe Wong too, Demitri steps up on the platform and starts to call for the crowd's silence.

After some sparks from his wand and a couple of threats of lost house points, the students quiet down. When his grandfather recites the same rules he did for Scabior and Wong's duel just days before, Demitri gives him a particularly sharp look. Warning him, Severus thinks, against being too much of a show-off during his duel with McKinnon.

He wants to scoff. He already knows better than to put his all in this duel. Severus is going against a fifteen-year-old girl. It would be cruel to trump her so soundly. When he finishes rattling off the rules and encouragement, he steps off the platform and leaves Severus and McKinnon to their battle.

Severus focuses in on McKinnon. Her hair, which she usually wears down around her shoulders, is tied back today like it is on Quidditch game days. She wears a fierce expression for a teenager (though a fairly tame one for a Quidditch player), eyes assessing as she waits. It seems she's waiting for him to make the first move. Seeing no reason to deny McKinnon her wish, Severus does so.

Not so much as letting his features twitch, Severus waves his arms, casting a levicorpus at the girl.

McKinnon ducks and shoots off a jinx of her own. With ease born from war, he deflects the spell and tries to hit the teenager with yet another jinx. Like before, she dodges it. Severus may have been impressed by how quickly she moved if he did not already know it's born of reflexes from Quidditch training. He came into the duel expecting no less from McKinnon.

Even so, it's a reminder to him that just casting spells at the teenager is unlikely to lead to a victory. Considering his options as he deflects spells and narrowly side-steps a particularly nasty curse, an idea comes to Severus. He crouches low and hisses, "Aguamenti!" water pours from his wand at a rapid rate, leaving puddles all around McKinnon's feet.

For a moment, confusion furrows the girl's brows. However, by the time Severus cancels his spell, she's caught on. She knows Severus is attempting to make it harder for her to physically move out of the way of his enchantments. She steps gingerly through the puddles, deflecting the hexes and casts at her with admirable accuracy.

Severus moves back, further and further as McKinnon advances. It doesn't take long for him to realize he's only a handful of steps away from the edge the platform and McKinnon is a yard away at best. He's close to being cornered. Severus doesn't like it. Taking a chance, he leaves himself unguarded for a moment as he summons birds to attack McKinnon.

Just as he successfully completes the spell, Severus is hit with the full force of a knock-back jinx. Falling hard, he skids back so far the top half of him ends up hanging over the edge of the platform. A murmur rises over the crowd and Severus ignores the way his back aches as he quickly pulls himself away from the edge. If he goes over, he loses. Severus is  _not_ going to lose to a fifteen-year-old girl. Looking back at McKinnon, Severus is relieved to see she's too distracted trying to keep the birds he summoned from pecking out her eyes to notice he's getting back up.

Once he's standing again on shaking legs, Severus calls out, "Brachiabindo!"

McKinnon hears him and desperately tries to get out of the way of the ropes coming to bind her in place. Unluckily for her, as the birds were attacking her during the time Severus was down, she backed up into the mess of puddles Severus made minutes before. She steps too quickly and slips. As she's falling down, the ropes catch her and wrap around her.

The teenager cries out when her chin smashes into the platform. A few in the crowds decry McKinnon's downfall and jeer when Severus steps forward and disarms her – completely ignoring her bleeding chin and lips.

When her wand is in his hand, Demitri appears on the platform, declaring Severus victor. Most cheer, but there are a few upset faces among the crowds. His grandfather undoes the ropes on McKinnon and assists the girl to her feet. When she's standing, Severus hesitantly approaches and offers her one of the handkerchiefs he keeps in his pocket at Aunt Vesta's behest.

"Thank you," McKinnon mumbles as she takes it. First, she dabs at her teary eyes before she places it over the gaping wound on her chin. "You're really good, you know that?" asks the teenager after a moment.

Severus smiles slightly and says, "You are quite skilled as well. It was a pleasure to duel you."

A grin starts on the girl's lip, only to fall short at the pain it visibly causes her. "Back at you," she settles for, eyes bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	62. Expanding: XX

  
One of his latest synthetic Basilisk poisons simmers in a cauldron behind Severus. In another corner of the room, Lily's flipping through the pages of a Muggle romance Petunia sent her by owl a few days ago. She told him it's rot yesterday, but it doesn't appear to be bad enough for her to leave it in her satchel as they await Cresswell's arrival. Severus checks his watch and sighs.

Lily looks over the edge of her book and raises an eyebrow.

He turns his face away and glares at the door of their classroom. What is taking Cresswell so long?

As if on cue, the door opens and in slinks Cresswell, a harried expression on his face. "I had to lose Mrs. Norris," he gives in way of explanation.

Severus rolls his eyes as Lily marks her page in her book and puts it away. "It's alright." Smiling, she says, "We haven't been waiting too long."

He scoffs, letting Cresswell know that is a lie. Lily shoots a warning glare at him as Cresswell scowls. Otherwise, nothing more is said about the Ravenclaw's tardiness. Watching Cresswell go and take one of the desks near Lily, Severus asks, "How is the hunt coming along?"

Cresswell stills. Not looking at either of them, he mumbles, "I don't think there's a time-traveler among the Hufflepuffs."

Severus gets to his feet. "What? There has to be."

"Well, there isn't!" snaps the Ravenclaw. "I've been hinting at an interest in Goblin Liaisons all week and about some of the things I know a few of the Hufflepuffs get up to in the future and not one's ever looked the least bit surprised or uncomfortable."

"Maybe they have an excellent poker face and are scared to say anything?" Lily suggests, rising to stand as well.

Cresswell sneers at them. "What in Merlin's name would they have to be scared about? I wasn't a Death-Eater."

Severus shoves down the urge to hex the Ravenclaw. With no small amount of bite in his voice, he counters, "Maybe they were."

He laughs as if the idea is utterly ridiculous. "A Hufflepuff a Death Eater?"

Face hot, Severus yells, "Yes, you prat! Have you forgotten Barty Crouch?"

Lily comes to fill the space between them. "Hey, knock that off right now!" she orders. "We are working together and so help me, you are going to be polite to each other."

Breathing heavily, Severus takes a moment to regain control. Finally, he manages to grumble, "…My apologies."

"It's fine. I guess."

"It can't just be us," he mutters after a moment. "We know nothing."

"Well, there isn't another of us in Hufflepuff," Cresswell reiterates.

Lily, who at some point came to stand next to Severus, places a comforting hand on his arm. "It was a good theory, though, Severus."

"Yes, it really was," the Ravenclaw echoes, sounding as if he truly means it. "Shame it didn't pan out."

Severus lets the conversation move on as Lily starts to ask other questions and Cresswell offers new, different theories they can test and look into. As they talk, he tunes them out and resolves to do a search of Hufflepuff himself. A time-traveler has to be there. Cresswell must have missed something. He may be a clever man, but he's not a spy. He didn't spend the better part of his life gathering intel and tricking others like Severus did.

He will find the final time-traveler. Must. They've gone on long enough separated and confused and without answers.

-o-O-o-

Sage claps along with everyone else when seventh-year Pandora Ollivander is announced the winner of the duel between her and sixth-year Crispin Smith. Perhaps a little louder than most, actually. He likes Pandora, she helped him when he got lost trying to find the Charms classroom his first year (while Crispin Smith snickered at him after he tripped walking up the Grand Staircase on the very same day). Sage is also impressed by her skill. Most duels would be over after someone lost the use of their wand-hand, but not with Pandora.

After Smith burned her hand with a curse, Pandora just dodged the next enchantment he sent her way and put her wand in her uninjured hand and kept going until she had Smith not only disarmed, but knocked out cold on the dueling platform. It was a very Slytherin show of dominance (for a Ravenclaw) and Sage knows he's going to be in good company this evening when his common room is abuzz with re-hashes of the duel and speculations for her next duel.

When Great Uncle Demitri leaves the dueling platform a couple of minutes later, Sage absently watches him part through the crowds of still gathered students. Sage frowns when he sees him not going to rejoin the professors, but head towards Barty Crouch Jr., one of the other dueling competitors alongside Severus, Scabior, and Pandora. A feeling of suspicion overcoming him, he narrows his eyes and looks on as the old man leads Crouch away from the crowds and to a more private spot a bit away from everyone.

He stares as he sees the man whisper something into the boy's ear and wave his wand. When Sage sees Great Uncle Demitri give Crouch a scrap of paper he feels his stomach roll. What's he doing? Why is he giving him that? Why did he look like he just showed Crouch a spell? Is… Is the old man fixing the next duel? Sage glances over to Severus. Unfortunately, his brother's not paying the old man any mind for once. He's too busy talking with Lily.

Sage wonders if he should say something. His eyes wander back to where Crouch and Great Uncle Demitri are huddled together only to find they are already gone. Worrying the inside of his cheek, Sage decides to keep quiet. Maybe it's not what it seemed? Great Uncle Demitri wouldn't help anyone cheat, he put together the tournament! But if it is… Perhaps it's fair. Severus trained Scabior and Severus is so brilliant. How else is Crouch to have any kind of chance without a bit of assistance?

In spite of all the assurance he gives himself, Sage still feels uneasy and fails to get back in the celebratory spirit.

-o-O-o-

"Be careful."

The words echo between Severus's ears as he comes to stand on the dueling platform across from Barty Crouch Jr.; why had Sage said that? Did his brother know something he didn't? When Severus dueled McKinnon the only words Sage uttered before the duel were for him to not be too hard on her. Where has his brother's confidence in him gone? Eyes darting out to look over the students enclosing the platform, Severus spots Sage two rows back.

The teenager smiles at him, but it's not joyous – not like Lily's or Sirius's. In fact, his cousin looks awfully nervous. Severus isn't sure what to do with that. He returns his gaze to Crouch. The younger smirks at him in a cocky, knowing way. He frowns. There's definitely something that's not on happening right now. Severus's eyes slide over to his grandfather, who's staring right at him as he once again repeats the rules for him, Crouch, and everyone else to hear. There's no way he can use legilimency on the younger boy without getting disqualified on the spot.

Gripping his wand tighter, he steals himself for whatever the duel might hold.

After Demitri steps off the platform, Severus doesn't wait for Crouch to make the first move. He casts off a levicorpus, which the freckle-faced boy just barely steps out of the way of. He shoots off a few more jinxes and hexes, Crouch throws up shield charm after shield charm. Tiring of the game far quicker than he may have in different circumstances, Severus casts a spell he knows will break right another shield. Crouch appears to understand just as well as Severus that his charm won't work on the spell Severus has just cast and drops low to the platform to avoid it. However, before Severus can finish the wand-movement for his next enchantment, Crouch finishes the wand-waving for his counter-spell.

A moment later, the world falls away. All Severus can see are the bright, yellow eyes of the slightly over-large snake that's suddenly slithering his way. Panic constricting around his throat like the damn monster might any moment, Severus's vision blurs around the edges. He tries to move, but his feet feel as if they've taken root in the platform beneath him and his legs have turned into tree-trunks. Desperate for calm and clarity, Severus attempts to move his gaze away from the snake or at least close his eyes, but he can't. In fact, it's like he's Mowgli under Kaa's lure from that Muggle film he once watched with Lily when they were truly children.

His breath growing ever more shallow, he desperately tries to take his eyes off the bloody thing. He can't. He can't. Merlin, Severus can't breathe. What if it–

As suddenly as it appeared, the snake vanishes and his wand is gone from his hand. Air rushing into his lungs at a double-pace, his vision clears and the world grows around him into a familiar size. Severus becomes aware of all around the Great Hall cheering and his grandfather ushering him off the platform as Crouch plays up his win and basks in the attention given to him by their fellow students. When he's off the platform, Demitri gives him back his wand and points Severus in the direction of Lily and Sage, who wait together, as close to the platform as the barrier spells will allow.

"It's for the best," Demitri murmurs, "you looked like a very typical fifteen-year-old today, rather than like something pretending to be a boy."

He doesn't have a chance to respond before the man returns to the platform to show Crouch off. It doesn't matter, anyway. Severus feels as if he's just been saved from drowning. He's too tired for this. All he wants is a quiet place to lay down.

Severus walks over to his best friend and brother. "Oh, Sev!" exclaims Lily, pulling him against her. "Are you okay?"

He just sighs into her neck and presses closer. Severus isn't in the mood for talking. A hand comes to rest lightly on his shoulder. Severus turns his head to see who the hand belongs to. When he does, he sees through his hair that it's Sage. His brother looks at him with an expression mixed with guilt and worry. "It's not your fault," he tells Severus.

This makes Severus frown. Of course it is. If he hadn't frozen like that…

"Really," Sage insists. Chin dropping into his chest he mumbles, "It's mine."

Lily turns stiff beneath him and she attempts to keep him in place with her arms. Severus ignores this and uses his superior strength to jerk upright. He narrows his eyes at the boy and fights down the rage he can feel pressing to take control. This is Sage, he reminds himself. His brother couldn't have sabotaged Severus like this. There has to be more the boy isn't saying.

He grabs Sage's arm and starts to drag him out of the Great Hall, Lily on their heels, hissing and whisper-shouting his name at him. He doesn't listen and continues until they are not only out of the hall, but in one of the side-corridors parallel to the Great Hall. Looking around, he casts a Muffliato charm and then pushes Sage into the corridor's cold stone wall.

"Explain yourself right now," Severus growls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	63. Expanding: XXI

His eyes are huge from fear and wet with guilt. Adam's apple bouncing beneath the thin skin of his throat, Sage stammers, "It's m-my fault. I saw and – and I didn't say  _anything_. Merlin, I could have stopped this! I'm so, so  _sorry._ "

Severus pulls his lips back to bear his teeth. He  _hates_ babbling. Almost as much as what the boy is saying. Pushing Sage harder into the wall, he hisses, "You saw what? What could you have stopped!"

"Severus." Lily presses into the small space between him and Sage and starts yanking on his arm. "Back up. You're going to hurt him."

He turns on her and spits, "Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!"

Lily slaps him across the face. "I'm not going to stand by and let you hurt Sage! He's a  _child_ , you prick!"

Hand on his face, he just stares at her. He's still angry. Still confused and hurt too, but his head feels a little clearer. Lily's expression is one of caution as she asks, "Are you going to calm down and let Sage explain properly now?"

Numbly, he nods.

Even so, Lily reaches for his hand and twines their fingers together. He's not sure if it's to anchor him, or if it's so she can hold him in place should he lunge at Sage during whatever explanation he gives them. Perhaps it's for both reasons. Maybe there is another reason he can't yet think of. He's still a bit too overwhelmed to be thinking clearly.

"Alright, Sage, do you think you can take a nice, big breath and explain what you mean by it's your fault?" asks Lily in a soft, warm voice.

Severus's brother nods slowly. He takes a moment to breathe in and out. Then he does it once more. Finally, he starts his tale. "After Ollivander's duel with Smith, I saw Great Uncle Demitri speaking with Crouch. He looked as if he was showing him a spell. I… I should have said something to you." Blinking his eyes rapidly, he tilts his chin into his chest and mumbles, "But I didn't. I thought… Well, you helped Scabior out. I didn't really think whatever he taught Crouch would be that bad." He looks up, lower lip trembling. "Or that it'd be something to use against  _you_."

For a moment Severus doesn't know what to think. Then, he's overcome with fresh rage. "That  _bastard_!" he curses. "That's why he fucking said, 'It's for the best'!" He tries to grab his wand, but finds that his hand is still tightly gripped by Lily's. "Let go," Severus tells her.

"No."

He grinds his teeth together. "Lily…"

"You tell the poor boy this isn't his fault right now," she orders.

Severus blinks. Then he looks back at his brother and thins his lips. Is that true? Is this really not Sage's fault? If his brother had said something…

Sage, as if using legilimency, replies, "Severus doesn't have to. I know it is. I should have said something."

Lily stamps a foot. "You couldn't–!"

"No, Sage should have," agrees Severus. "He knows Demitri's history just as well as I – perhaps even better. My grandfather once turned on my mother, why should he not slight me as well?"

"He made up for that! He helped her – and you!" protests Lily.

Quietly, Sage whispers, "Only because Severus's dad is dead and he thinks he can salvage the Prince line. I heard him and Mum talking once. They hope now that Tobias's gone she might find a new, proper wizard husband." He stares at his toes as he says, "Have another child or two as well."

"That's awful," Lily whimpers.

Severus and Sage share a quiet, somber look before he answers, "It's how they all think. The family's reputation matters more to them than anything else."

Lily shakes her head and mutters darkly, "I'll never understand it. The people in a family should matter more than its name."

"They do – until they go against the family," says Severus. Abruptly returning his full attention to Sage, he repeats, "You should have said something. Demitri can only be trusted as far as you can levitate him."

"I know."

He sighs. "I forgive you," he tells his brother. "You couldn't have known the spell would be so…  _Specific_  to me."

"Thank you." Sage steps forward and wraps himself around Severus. "I don't know what I would do if you hated me now."

Severus pats his brother's back and assures, "It's going to take something a lot worse than this for me to hate you."

-o-O-o-

He waits until after dinner to confront Demitri. Before he goes, Lily asks if he really wants to go alone. Severus nods. "It's between him and me now."

She sighs, obviously displeased with his decision. Even so, she knows better than to argue with him. "Good luck," says Lily.

Severus smiles at her without humor. "I don't know what luck will do. I don't see a positive outcome no matter how well this conversation goes."

Lily watches him go and Severus knows she's not the only one's gaze following him leave the Great Hall. He hopes Sage doesn't fret too much. It's not as if his grandfather will kill him. Severus is pinnacle to defeating Voldemort. Reaching Demitri's classroom, Severus lets himself in. Walking through it without hesitation, he knocks on the door to the old man's office.

"Come in," calls Demitiri.

Severus slips in and closes the door behind him. He knows it will do little to stop them from being overhead by clever ears should they start shouting, but it is enough of a barrier for now. The man looks up from his lesson plans and stares bemusedly at Severus. "Hello, lad. What has brought you by?"

"I know," Severus says simply.

The man raises an eyebrow as if he doesn't understand.

Balling his hands into fists he spits, "I know you taught Crouch that fucking spell."

Demitri, for a moment, seems truly surprised. It quickly fades as a mulish resolve overtakes his countenance. "You couldn't be the champion of the competition, Severus. You're a fifteen-year-old boy."

"Do you think I'm a dunderhead? I  _knew_ that!"

He scowls. "You should have lost to McKinnon."

Severus barks a laugh. "Oh, I should have, should I? You never said anything to me!"

The old man rises to a stand behind his desk and slams his hands down on its dark mahogany wood. "I thought you already understood! The last thing you or Miss Evans needs is who you are to be discovered!"

Severus steps forward, meeting his grandfather's glare head-on. "I understand just fine! Winning a duel or two would not have raised suspicion! Nearly all the school already regards me as a genius!"

"There's a difference between looking like a prodigy and looking like you have experience. You duel as if you've been in a  _war_."

He doesn't know what to say to that. Of course he duels like he's faced battle! How could a war veteran like himself  _not_? There is only so much he can disguise before it seeps through when instinct takes over to protect him from flying enchantments. In the end, all he can do is snap, "I have! That's where I learned!"

"You needed to lose. You couldn't look for a moment as if you expected it. Using Crouch was the best way to do it," his grandfather insisted, crossing his arms.

Severus makes a noise of disgust in the back of his throat and turns away. He can't stand Demitri's face a moment longer. He wants away from him. "I'm tired of old men making decisions for me. If you do something like this again, I will make you regret it."

He hears his grandfather sigh. "Severus…"

Ignoring him, Severus opens the door to the old man's office and starts to leave. He pauses a moment once he's stepped over the threshold. Turning his head to look back at his grandfather, he tells the old man, "You  _are_ going to regret this."

Demitri frowns. Then, he scoffs. "Do your worst," he jeers.

Severus smirks. "Gladly."

-o-O-o-

The next morning Severus goes looking for Scabior after the boy doesn't show up for breakfast. After having little luck finding him in his usual haunts around Hogwarts's corridors, he turns his sights on outside. The weather is still a bit brisk for most of the students and staff, but winter is finally winding down and if you go outside at the right time on the right days, you can fool yourself into believing it's a pleasant spring day rather than a warm winter morning.

He checks a few of the courtyards before he starts on the grounds. As he makes his way toward the lake, he spots Scabior. It doesn't take him long at all to realize the boy isn't alone. When he gets close enough to make out faces, Severus's eyebrows jump high on his forehead. He's with Mei Wong. The two of them stand with their bodies pointed toward one another.

They appear to be discussing something at length. Then, Wong waves her wand. Out from it shoots an impressive blast of fire. Scabior copies her wand movements and then, from his wand, shoots a stream of similarly strong fire. Severus finds himself impressed. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yells out, "Scabior! Wong!"

The two turn to look at him. They both appear a bit shocked at his appearance, but it doesn't last long. Scabior starts to jog towards him, Wong following shortly thereafter. Once Scabior is just an arm's reach from Severus, the lad stops. "'Lo!" he greets happily.

"That spell was quite impressive," he tells the two. "I do hope you realize it's not very practical for a friendly duel, however."

Scabior frowns. "It's a good one to know."

"It is," Severus agrees. "Who knows when a friendly duel will turn less so."

This remark appears to puzzle the children more than anything, but they nod as if it makes all the sense in the world. Severus smirks. "Scabior, how confident do you feel about your coming duel with Crouch?"

He juts out his chin and proclaims, "I'm gonna win it!"

"Hmm."

Scabior frowns at his doubtful hum. Eyebrows cocked with irritation, he demands, "What? What!"

Severus looks around as if he's worried there might be someone nearby who could overhear. Of course, there isn't; it does, however, get the children looking as well. A little less annoyance now on Scabior's face and blatant curiosity on Wong's, Severus asks, "Do you know why I lost?"

"'Cause Crouch scared you with snakes, duh," replies Scabior as if he's an idiot.

He rolls his eyes. The boy's bluntness never ceases to amaze him. "Yes," he agrees, "that's why I lost. Don't you wonder how he knew?"

Scabior frowns in puzzlement, but Wong gasps. "Did someone tell him?" she questions. She gasps softly before Severus can even try to answer. In a quiet, empathetic voice she asks, "Was it a friend of yours?"

"Not a friend," he answers quickly. Sage may not have warned him about what he saw, but he, Lily, and Sirius would never have done such a thing to him. That much Severus is certain of. "But our lovely professor hosting the tournament did." He looks over at Scabior and says, "Sage saw him pull Crouch aside after Ollivander and Smith's duel."

"That's not fair!" Scabior cries. "What the 'ell does Prince think 'e's doin'?"

Severus shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine," he lies. "However, I'd rather the two of you not tell the whole school."

"Okay," Wong agrees for both of them. "…Why are you telling us, then?"

He grins at the girl, pleased with her cleverness. "I want to help Scabior become the champion of the competition."

Both of their eyes widen at this. "But how's he going to win against Ollivander?" Wong murmurs. "She can duel with both hands!"

"I can teach him the same," Severus tells her. "And more." Squaring his shoulders, he looks at the both of them as he explains, "It would help, however, if he had a dueling partner besides myself so I can get a bystander perspective on his skills and progress as we prepare him for the duel as well."

Wong nods. "Alright, I'll help."

"Scabior? Is this agreeable?"

The boy shrugs. "Yeah. Why not?" He smiles at the girl. Hopefully, he asks, "Maybe you can teach me some more of those wicked spells Cresswell showed you too?"

"Yes, of course!" she replies, delighted.

Severus tunes out the two as they begin to talk about some of the other spells Wong knows thanks to Cresswell and thinks Scabior will want to learn. There's not much time to prepare Scabior – just over a week – but he thinks they might be able to manage. Even if Scabior doesn't win, it will still be an impressive duel. It will also show Demitri just that there's no such thing as being too young to win a dueling tournament.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	64. Expanding: XXII

Severus hadn't known what including Wong in Scabior's training regime would do, but to say the least, he's happy he has. She brings in a level of focus to their sessions he never thought reachable with Scabior. He now watches Severus carefully as he demonstrates enchantments and copies his wand movements with an exactness previously unseen with the boy. Scabior also listens when Wong asks questions and will use hers as diverging points for his own inquiries. Some of the things he asks about even show a true thoughtfulness.

Wong's not a very good dueling partner, however. She is by far more advanced than most eleven and twelve-year-old girls, but she lacks the necessary aggression to be truly formidable. Severus is just thankful she hasn't cried after losing since her and Scabior's first scrimmage. To prevent tears however, he usually has her watch him and Scabior as they duel and just learn spells alongside Scabior instead. She's very quick on the uptake – often even faster than Scabior. She also has the patience to practice it over and over with the boy until he gets it.

Severus gives them a couple of spells to practice at the end of each lesson with the expectation they'll be able to do a passable recreation by the next day's teaching. For the most part, they've managed to do just that. When they don't, he just takes a little extra time to go over it. It may be irksome and slow them down, but he can see they are trying and he needs Scabior's confidence to stay up. When Friday comes, he says, "I've had Sage and Lily keeping an eye on Crouch and Professor Prince and they have not grouped up together for even a moment since before my duel." He smirks. "I believe you'll show that prick just how much he should regret not losing to me tomorrow."

Scabior grinned with pleasure. Feathers sufficiently fluffed by the compliment, he says, "Then I'll show Ollivander too!"

He wonders if he should say the boy shouldn't get ahead of himself, but Wong jumps in before he can come to a decision. Lightly, she raps her fingers on the back of his head. "Just focus on your duel with Crouch now, Edmund."

The boy wrinkles his nose. "Yeah, yeah," he agrees. Then, he mutters, "And it's  _Scabior_."

Wong looks stricken for a moment. "Oh, sorry," she mumbles. "I thought we were friends…"

Scabior blanches. Then, with a hint of panic in his tone, he assures her, "We are! Everyone calls me Scabior. I just don't really like Edmund, Ed, or Eddie."

"Oh," says the girl.

Severus rolls his eyes. "If you two are done, there's one more spell I'd like to show you today."

"Yeah, alright, " Scabior agrees for the both of them.

-o-O-o-

"How do you think he will do?"

Severus stares at Scabior. The boy stands at ease, fingers fiddling with the base of his wand behind his back. He then glances at Scabior's face. The second-year's expression is neutral besides his mouth, which is set in a slight smirk. He's impatient, then, not nervous. Severus really can't say he's too surprised. Scabior has been downright certain victory is the only possibility since Severus asked how he felt about his coming duel with Crouch over a week ago.

He then looks over to Crouch. The Hufflepuff has a hand on his hip and he's laughing at the antics of his mates a few rows away from the platform. He's just as certain he'll win as Scabior is it seems. Severus is certain this duel will be something to witness. He does so hope neither one's temper gets the better of them. Crouch and Scabior have a tendency towards volatility when angry and upset. It would be unfortunate if this duel ends because one cheats or spells to maim rather than to disarm.

Severus turns his head and says to Lily, "I think Scabior will manage to impress while he is up there."

"You're not sure he'll win, are you?" asks Sage as he turns his gaze back to the platform when Demitri steps up to go over the rules and begin the duel.

He purses his lips. "I think his chances are quite good, but no, I am not entirely sure he will win." Severus's eyes move to Crouch. "Scabior might be too cocky."

"We'll find out in just a moment here, I'm sure," Lily murmurs, gesturing to Severus's grandfather, who was wrapping up the last of his little speech. The three of them fall quiet as Demitri walks off the platform, tensing for the first strike. The moment the old man's turned back around, watching, Crouch and Scabior cast their first spells – both wanting to be the first to strike.

A lime-green enchantment from Crouch's wand clips the red-orange hue hex that shoots out of Scabior's. The spells explode in a burst of bright yellow sparks in the middle of the platform. Students around Severus awe and whoop as Crouch and Scabior do their best to shield themselves from the falling bits of light. Unlike Crouch, who stays close to the platform as the sparks continue to flutter in the air, Scabior lets his shielding charm drop.

He ignores the falling sparks and only winces when one lands on the exposed skin of his hand as he mouths the words to a curse before casting it off in Crouch's direction. The Hufflepuff's mouth falls open when he sees Scabior is ignoring the small flames all around them and has sent an enchantment his way. Covering his head and rolling out of the curse's striking path just in time, Crouch unfurls from his ball only to shoot off a jinx of his own.

Scabior dodges with ease and sends yet another curse at the Hufflepuff. Crouch throws up a shielding charm and returns fire. It goes on like that for several minutes; both Scabior and Crouch trying to bespell the other before they can defend themselves or get out of the way. Finally, when Scabior begins to realize the futility of this method, he stops casting and instead tries a new method.

In a display of bravery, he rushes at the Hufflepuff. Crouch's eyes go wide and he looks at Scabior as if he's mad and hurries to back away, all thoughts of bespelling the other boy forgotten for the moment. Soon, Crouch's heels are touching the edge of the platform. Severus watches with great interest as Crouch panics and attempts a knockback jinx, only to mess it up and push himself off the edge of the platform.

It's only a meter-fall, but as Crouch twists to try and catch himself on Hogwarts unforgiving stone floors, he lands wrong on one of his arms and cries out. Of course, only Severus and the Hogwarts staff appears to notice this at all. Hogwarts' students are cheering for Scabior. Severus looks at Lily and Sage. Lily has her hands cupped around her mouth and is shouting for Scabior as loud as any Slytherin; as for Sage, he looks a little shocked, but happy. He is clapping alongside everyone else and, occasionally, he takes his fingers to his mouth and whistles (Severus wonders when Sirius taught him that, it's not as if he knew how to whistle like that during the previous duels).

He gives each of them a look. "Let's go," Severus says. Then he starts shouldering his way through the few students standing in their way and makes it over to the platform. Scabior's smirk becomes a grin when he sees Severus. All but throwing himself off the platform, he yells, "Thank you! Thank you!" and darts in to hug Severus before he can step away.

After a moment, he embraces the boy back. Once he has, Scabior lets go and falls back a step, a cheeky smile now in place. "I knew you'd 'ug me back an' not deck me if I did it in front'a the school."

Lily says, "Even if you weren't in front of the school he wouldn't have hit you."

Scabior laughs and Severus rolls his eyes. Yes, he probably wouldn't have hit the boy, but Severus is sure he'd have shoved him away without hugging Scabior back. The younger boy appears to realize this too, as he replies, "Yeah, maybe. 'E never woulda 'ugged me at all, though."

His friend appears as if she's going to protest this, but Severus only shakes his head. She sighs and crosses her arms, letting the argument drop. Quietly, Sage murmurs, "Madam Pomfrey is looking over Crouch, do you think he's okay?"

They all look. Instead of getting on the platform to announce Scabior as the duel's winner, Demitri is standing with a hand on Crouch's shoulder as Madam Pomfrey looks over his arm. The Hufflepuff's grimacing as she expects it, but does not appear to be in any unbearable pain. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey waves her wand over his arm. She does it one more time after and, then, Crouch draws his arm back to himself. He clenches and unclenches his hand a couple of times before he nods his head and says what Severus can only assume is thank you to Madam Pomfrey.

"You should get back on the platform," Severus tells Scabior.

The boy blinks. "What?"

"Professor Prince never officially announced you as the winner, now did he?"

Understanding lights up Scabior's face. "Oh!" he exclaims before turning around and heaving himself back up on the platform. Just as the boy is pulling himself to a stand, Demitri joins him on the platform. He sends off sparks to quiet the crowd. Slowly, everything falls to a low din and the old man apologizes for the delay. He gestures for Scabior to stand next to him and once he's there, declares Scabior as the victor of the duel. Severus stares right at the man as he does, smirking all the while.

His grandfather's eyes narrow and Severus knows Scabior is going to have to watch out during his duel against Ollivander next week.

'That's just fine,' thinks Severus. 'We'll show you no matter what you have Ollivander send our way.'

-o-O-o-

In the classroom he and Lily commandeered for themselves at the start of the year, Severus looks over his results from the synthesized poison and sighs. It's another failure. No combination is working. What could Severus possibly be missing? He  _needs_ this to work or… He swallows thickly. Or they are going to have to find their way into the Chamber to extract poison from the Basilisk beneath the school themselves. He shakes at the thought. Merlin, he hopes it doesn't have to come to that.

'Next year," he tells himself. 'If I can't make a working poison by next year, I'll tell Lily and Cresswell we need to get into the Chambers.'

"Hello?"

Severus spins around. In the doorway stands Cresswell. He has an eyebrow raised at Severus, a look of curiosity in his eyes. "What do you want?" he asks.

Cresswell frowns. "That's not very polite."

He rolls his eyes. "Fine.  _Hello_ , Cresswell. What do you want?"

The Ravenclaw moves into the classroom. "I was talking to Mei after the duel."

"That's nice," Severus sneers.

Cresswell glowers at him. " _Anyhow_ , she said you had her helping you prepare Scabior for the duel."

He nods. "I did," Severus agrees. "She was already showing him new spells before I even suggested I help Scabior prepare."

"I want you to put a stop to that."

Severus doesn't know what to say. Finally, after a moment's pause, he questions, "Why, pray tell, should I do that?"

Cresswell's expression turns hateful. "It was him and his Snatcher mates who killed me."

He shifts uneasily, not entirely sure how to reply. Severus never considered that Cresswell's murderer might be at Hogwarts right now – and so close to Severus too. While he's made peace years ago with the fact he's surrounded by future Death Eaters and killers and resolved to not let it get to him if he can help it, Cresswell evidently has not done the same. Probably hasn't had to. He's a Ravenclaw, most of his housemates didn't grow up to be Death Eaters. Those that did Severus can now imagine he's gone out of his way to avoid. Briefly, he wonders just how different Ravenclaw looks today compared to how it did during their true schooldays.

Severus shakes his head. He knows he should probably agree and then continue to do as he pleases… But he will need to work with Cresswell later. At some point, they will all have to come together to make the better world they all came back to create. Quietly, he reasons, "You do realize Scabior and that man aren't the same person, don't you?"

"They're close enough!" Cresswell snaps

Severus sighs. He'll try to exclude her, but he knows there is no way he can promise Cresswell any immediate changes. Snubbing her so suddenly will only cause strife for everyone involved. Even then there may not be much he can do. Scabior seeked her out on his own (or had Wong? Severus never did bother to find out) and he may continue to do so in the future. "I'll see what I can do," he tells Cresswell. "They are quite friendly and excluding her outright will only lead to an upset right now."

Cresswell doesn't look any happier, but he relents. "Fine," he agrees. "Just… Just don't let them become any closer."

"I'll do my best," promises Severus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	65. Expanding: XXIII

"Clara saw Great Uncle Demitri talking alone to Ollivander before her defense class," Sage informs Severus as they sit down to lunch.

This causes Severus pause. "You've recruited her to keep an eye on Demitri, have you?" It's a surprise, especially since Sage has gone out of his way to ignore her at the behest of his mother and brother since she pubically began dating Fenwick. The boy shrugs as his ears turn pink, unwilling to say anything more. Severus sighs. He supposes it's best not to press; Sage has taken a brave step towards independent-thinking by choosing to go against the Montagues' wishes of no contact by bringing Clara into their little group of watchers.

Serving himself a helping of Toad in the hole, Severus asks, "Did she overhear anything?"

Sage shakes his head. "No," he answers. "But I figure it's helpful knowing he's talked to her privately, don't you think so?"

"Yes, it is," he agrees. "Though, the best I can do is make sure Scabior keeps his guard up at this point."

His brother nods. "Maybe he'll talk to her again and Clara will have a chance to overhear."

Severus pokes at his lunch and scowls. "Maybe." Although he doubts it.

-o-O-o-

Later that afternoon while holding an impromptu tutoring session with Scabior (springing it on the boy is the easiest way to exclude Wong right now) in one of Hogwarts courtyards, Ollivander steps into their line of vision. Her daughter took far more after her husband than her, but in that moment, Severus almost mistakes her for Luna Lovegood. Ollivander has her hair put up, her wand holding it in place, and butterbeer cap earrings dangle from the nonexistent lobes of her ears. She doesn't look nearly as dreamy as her daughter did, however.

"Preparing for our duel?" she asks Scabior with a kind smile.

Scabior, who's let his wand drop to his side at her appearance, gives a jerky nod. "Yeah," answers he, a note of suspicion in his tone.

She dips her chin, unbothered. "It's very clever of you to train with someone older than you," she tells him. "I wish I could be so lucky."

Severus narrows his eyes at Ollivander, but there's no hint of deceit about her. Her gaze is steady, her posture relaxed and words calm, if said a bit slowly. She's choosing her words carefully, Severus realizes, as not to spook Scabior or give him reason to distrust her any more than he undoubtedly does thanks to her surprise appearance.

The second-year glances at Severus. "Severus offered to train with me," says Scabior.

Her gaze moves over to him. "Trying to assure Slytherin will win the competition even if you can't, are you?"

Severus nods mutely. It's as good a reason as any to go with.

She smiles wider. "That's nice of you," Ollivander replies. He thinks he sees something a little less affable ghost across her stormy eyes, but Severus can't be sure. It might just be the moving of clouds in the sky above them.

"Is there something we can help you with?" Severus asks after a beat of silence.

Ollivander's shoulders tense a little. "Professor Prince requested I stay after defense to have a little chat with him yesterday." Her face darkens as she explains, "Imagine my surprise when it  _wasn't_ about the hex I'm creating and discussed with him previously."

Scabior's eyes go wide. "Did 'e show you a spell to use to defeat me in our duel?"

The seventh-year nods. "Yes," replies Ollivander. "It was very demeaning." An angry little flush coloring her cheeks she hisses, "I'm more than capable of figuring out how to win on my own, after all."

"I'm sorry," Severus blurts, suddenly feeling terribly guilty and ashamed. If he hadn't told his grandfather he'd pay for Severus's own loss before Scabior's duel with Crouch…

Ollivander's gaze snaps to him. "It's not your fault," she says, unknowing of just how wrong she is. Tucking a loose strand of feathery blonde hair behind her ear, she explains, "Anyway, I just came to tell you to be careful. I'm not going to use that spell on you, Scabior. That's not right." She frowns. "But it seems our professor is trying to fix the duel and I want you to know in case he attempts to take matters into his own hands when I won't do it for him."

"Thank you," murmurs the second-year, eyes big and alight with surprise.

Severus can't help but feel the same shock. Such forthright integrity is far rarer than it should be – especially in the lives of people like him and Scabior.

She smiles at the both of them, a sad droop to her eyes. "None of that now," she tells them. "I'm just doing the right thing." Her voice takes a hard edge. "I'm sure you would do the same if you were in my place."

That's a lie. Ollivander knows they wouldn't have. She's trying to both shame them for who they are and challenge them to be better than they are. It's effective – with Scabior, at least. The boy's jaw hardens and he says, "Sure."

The tension that's been building in Ollivander's slim frame suddenly releases from her like an arrow from a bow. "Good," replies the seventh-year. She waves at them. "I'll see you Saturday."

"Bye!" returns Scabior.

They fall quiet, watching together as Ollivander disappears to back whence she came. When she's gone, Scabior looks at Severus. "I like 'er."

Severus snorts and shoves the boy's shoulder in what he hopes comes off as a playful way. "I hope not as much as you like winning duels."

To his satisfaction and relief, Scabior laughs.

-o-O-o-

When the day of the final duel comes, there's a bet going on. It was started a few days earlier by the Marauders (what a surprise) and far more people have their money on Ollivander than they do Scabior. Which is probably the correct choice, Severus must admit, but he wants to balk on the boy's behalf. He may be lacking a few years experience and genius, but he's not some dunderhead with dumb luck either.

Scabior deserves more consideration than he's getting. The boy has worked  _hard._ He has true skill and knowledge now and even if he doesn't win today, he's not going to go down easy. 'They'll all see today, I suppose,' thinks Severus as Scabior steps onto the dueling platform.

Ollivander joins him a moment later. Once there, she smiles at Scabior. Who, through, his overlong fringe, grins back. Her brows furrow a moment. She then goes up to him and offers a ribbon to tie back his hair. Scabior takes it after a brief hesitation. Bringing his hair back, he fumbles with tying the ribbon around his ponytail. Ollivander says something, then Scabior is turned around, and the seventh-year's circling the ribbon around his hair and tying it off for him.

When done, she says something else, which brightens Scabior right up. He replies in what appears to be in-kind as Ollivander's smile broadens. A few seconds later, Demitri steps up on the platform and comes to stand between them. He shoos both back to their respective ends of the platform and gives his now familiar spiel.

Severus glares at him. The old man, when he briefly looks at Severus, hardens his own gaze.

"Even if Scabior doesn't win, he's going to put up one Hell of a fight," muses Sirius beside him.

He glances at his friend. "You bet against him in your dumb little pool."

The other shrugs. "I'd be betting on Ollivander if it was  _you_ up there," he replies. "She's older and knows more."

"Hmph," is all Severus feels he needs to utter.

Sirius glances at him out of the corner of his eyes and then rolls them. "So touchy," he needles.

Severus bristles in spite of himself. It takes biting his tongue to stop himself from retorting childishly "am not!".

"Hush you two!" hisses Lily. "They're about to start!"

They fall quiet and watch.

Ollivander and Scabior are now alone on the platform. Their gazes are locked together, each waiting for the other to make the first move. After a few more seconds, Scabior feigns left and casts a hex at Ollivander. The seventh-year throws up a shielding charm and holds it in place as Scabior sends off another hex, and then a curse.

Finally, Ollivander appears to have come up with some sort of plan as she lets the charm drop and narrowly misses getting struck in the face with a cutting curse. Her fingers flit to her newly chopped hair and she frowns. Severus wonders what she'll do now. A surprising number of girls and women are quite attached to their hair and get nasty if anyone messes with it.

Cut hairs flopping behind her ear, Ollivander dodges yet another enchantment Scabior casts at her and ducks and rolls forward. She shoots a Leg-Locker Curse at Scabior that he isn't quite quick enough to get out of the way of in time. The boy scowls as he hops out of striking distance of the seventh-year's next spell. He spends the next several minutes all but throwing himself out of the way of brightly colored streams of light. He visibly begins to tire, shoulders heaving up and down with exhaustion.

Severus thinks its the start of the end of the duel. However, Scabior proves him wrong when he hunkers down on his stomach and pulls the ribbon from his hair. Moving faster than he has ever before he transfigures it into a long wood plank and throws it to the platform between him and Ollivander. It only causes the seventh-year to pause for a moment, however, before she's back to casting hexes and jinxes at Scabior.

This time, Scabior holds up a shielding charm for a time instead of rolling and diving out of the way of the spells. A few minutes later when Ollivander begins to advance on him, moving closer to the plank of wood, Scabior drops the charm and shoves off to the right while shooting an enchantment in the direction of Ollivander's feet. The seventh-year jumps back just in time to avoid going up in flames like the plank of wood that was at her feet. The flames quickly take over the entire piece of wood, creating a wall of fire that hampers Severus's view of Scabior – and Ollivander's as well.

'Clever,' Severus thinks. The platform itself has been spelled to be resistant to flames, but Scabior has found a way around that by using the hair-ribbon Ollivander lent him at the start of the duel.

For her part, she frowns and uses an Aguamenti spell to put it out. When the flames are all but gone and it's now a wall of smoke instead between her and Scabior, the boy makes an appearance. He leaps through the smoke, legs no longer stuck together, and sends off a round of spells at Ollivander. The seventh-year blocks most of them, but ends up falling to the ground when she doesn't manage to perry a freezing charm in time.

Instead of immediately taking her wand from her, Scabior kicks the smoldering plank away first – stopping any chance of her hair or robe catching fire – and then takes his wand physically from her fingers by carefully prying them apart one-by-one. When finished, he raises it in the air for all of Hogwarts to see. The applause is not immediate, so great is everyone's shock, but after a moment, it does come. Loudly.

Scabior grins and, using his own wand, undoes the freezing charm on Ollivander as Demitri makes his way onto the platform. Severus's grandfather's face is fixed in an expression of sufferance with bright, furious eyes. Who he's more angry with is anyone's guess, Severus thinks. With Scabior for having the audacity to beat someone five years his senior, at Ollivander for not using whatever enchantment it is he shared with her to secure her win, or Severus for showing him as he promised.

Ollivander now sitting up, blinks a few times and then takes back her wand from Scabior when he hands it to her. Scabior must have said something, as she smiles at him and shakes her head. Using the second-year's offered hand to get back up at her feet, she then places it on his shoulder and leaves it there as Demitri comes to their sides and quiets the crowds to announce with barely hidden vitriol Scabior as the champion of the dueling tournament.

The students holler their excitement and joy. Though, there are a few cries of dissent and some mutterings starting here and there about the possibility of Scabior being a cheat because he's  _thirteen_ and Ollivander's  _eighteen_ , but it dies away quickly enough when the seventh-year draws Scabior close into a protective, half-embrace and tells the boy, but loudly enough for all to hear, "Thank you, Scabior for the duel. It was a magnificent lesson in creativity. I am glad I lost  _fairly_ today, rather than won wrongfully."

She smiles airily, but her eyes are dark and deadly as any ocean storm when they come to rest on Severus's grandfather. The old man goes taut where he stands just steps away from the children. He does not say anything, however, as Ollivander guides herself and Scabior off the platform and to her waiting friends, who Severus know are asking without even having to hear them:

"What does that  _mean_?"

Severus's gaze moves from the two, to his grandfather, whose face is white and hard as he stalks off the stage. Severus then looks to the rest of Hogwarts staff, who are talking amongst themselves now, watching Demitri as he pushes his way through the gaping, inquiring students and out of the Great Hall. He considers what might happen now. Ollivander's let the kneazle out of the bag. She's going to elaborate for her friends on her veiled remark and then it's going to spread to the rest of Ravenclaw, then Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. The professors will hear too. They will look judgingly on his grandfather and perhaps ask questions of their own.

In conclusion, it does not take a genius to see the old man will not be coming back to teach a second year at Hogwarts. Someone so unscrupulous can't be trusted to teach children, after all. What kind of lessons would they learn from Demitri if not bad ones? Severus tries to feel regret, sadness, sympathy, but he can't. All he feels is satisfaction. His grandfather has paid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	66. Expanding: XXIV

A few days after Scabior's duel, Lily asks Severus to take a stroll around the lake with her. He takes a look out a window and sees that the sky is blue and clear; spring finally looks to be here to stay after the long winter. Severus agrees. "Let me grab my cloak."

Half an hour later, when they are on the far side of Black Lake and out of earshot of other students walking around the lake or sitting near the waters, Lily asks, "When are you going to talk with your grandfather?"

He whips head around to look straight at Lily, a feeling of incredulity overcoming him. "What do you mean?"

She sighs and starts to drum her fingers along her thigh. After another beat of silence, she says, "I know what he did to you was awful and I'm very upset with him on your behalf, but Severus…" she slowly lifts her gaze and looks at him, eyes regretful. "We might need him later. He knows about us and can get an idea of what's going on with the Death Eaters and their cause if and when we need him to."

Severus scrubs a hand across his face. Lily's the last one he expected to hear this from. Before now, he thought he wouldn't have to deal with his grandfather and make "nice" until he went home for the summer and his Aunt Vesta (or maybe his mother) noticed the terseness of their interactions. Quietly, Severus suggests, "We could always obliviate him. He's served his purpose – helping me stop Mum from killing Adam Parkinson."

Lily frowns. "What if we need him again later?"

"I… Am certain we can think of another solution that does not involve him."

She puts a hand on his shoulder. "Even if we do, you're still going to have to see him again. He's your grandfather and he and your aunt are close." Lily's voice gentles as she pulls him into a side embrace. "I hope you don't think I'm pressuring you to sweep everything under the rug. I want what's best for you, Sev. If that means you hold off talking to your grandfather, that's your choice and I support you. I just think if you do it now, you'll be able to do it on your own terms more than you will at the Montagues – your aunt has a way of springing things on you."

"She means well," mumbles Severus into her floral scented hair.

Lily vibrates with a soft laugh. "Family usually does."

When they finally separate from their embrace, he says, "I'll speak to him before the school year is over. Just – Just not right now. It's still too raw."

She nods. "Okay." Then, gripping her hand in hers, she grins and says, "Now that that nasty business is out of the way, shall we finish our stroll talking about pleasant things?" As they slowly begin to walk once more, Lily chatters, "Do you remember my uncle who visited my family for Christmas? Well, just like last time, at the ripe old age of thirty-eight, he's finally giving up his bachelor life to marry a very nice lady from Brisbane. Mum and Dad are discussing if they will both go to the wedding next autumn or if Dad will stay home with 'Tuney and only Mum will go, since Uncle John is her brother…"

-o-O-o-

As he stirs his porridge with one hand and props his chin on the back of the other, Severus stares at the sparsely populated Hufflepuff table. It's not quite seven in the morning yet and seeing as it's a Saturday, almost all students are still in bed. Of the few there, none are from his year. There are a few sixth-years near one end talking over a couple of textbooks and loose pieces of parchment, a couple of firsties at the other end, flicking bits of rolls at each other and giggling and near the middle is a lone third-year.

It peaks Severus's interest immediately, Hufflepuffs on average are a sociable breed. Even the shyest usually have at least one friend nearby at any given time. For one to be so alone as the girl there… It sets off an instinct Severus's time as a professor, spy, Death Eater, and son of a drunkard has taught him not to ignore. He focuses in on the younger student. The distance between him and her makes it a little difficult to pick out the finer details about her, but even from here Severus can see she is on the smaller, heavier-set side. Her short, tan fingers pick at a scone, occasionally plucking what might be a blueberry or some other small fruit from the massacred pastry, and push it past her full lips.

Severus finds he's slightly repulsed by the process. The lack of decorum in the way she eats makes him feel embarrassed for her mother. Surely she taught her daughter how to eat like a witch rather than a beast? Unable to watch any longer, he looks away from her eating only to notice the book floating to the third-year's right. Severus frowns; the girl is reading  _Charms of Defence and Deterrence_. Why in Merlin's name is she reading that? The dueling competition has long been over for her (and everyone else). It's also unlikely she's reading it for a charms essay as Flitwick spends little time on battle-charms with younger years. It's only as they advance into their OWL year he begins to include a whole unit on them to give students a taste of what sixth and seventh-year charms shall hold for them should they pass the end of the year test.

He starts to systematically go through the storage banks of his mind to try and recall just who this girl is. A few options come to mind. The girl shakes off a finger and brings it to scratch the flat bridge of her nose. Sudden certainty overtaking Severus, he thinks, 'That's  _Priscilla_   _Rookwood_.' Neice of Augustus Rookwood, wife of Bernard Crabbe, and mother to Vincent Crabbe. He stares. While her son had been a bit on the dim side, Rookwood had seemed to be of more or less average intelligence when they were students at Hogwarts.

She'd also been rather meek. Severus always suspected that came from the fact rumors had been flying around since long before the girl came to Hogwarts that she was only a Rookwood in name. They said her mother had an affair with her superior at the Ministry and that is why she looks nothing like her thin, red-haired father. Severus learned to later scoff at the rumors once he saw her mother in Diagon Alley one summer. Rookwood mother is small and shapely just as her daughter is; the girl may be darker than both of her parents, but it's not difficult to see that she is still lighter than her paternal grandfather, who'd been nearly as dark as Blaise Zabini.

Severus always reckoned it was the rumors that led her to marry Bernard Crabbe. The man is a brute and exceedingly dull. Any witch of good standing who knew her worth stayed far away from him. Unfortunately for Rookwood, after a lifetime of others doubting her roots and the purity of her blood, she lost all confidence and self-respect and allowed herself to be wooed by the first man who wasn't bothered by the gossip.

He supposes he should pity her, but he can't. She stood by her husband through his atrocities and let her son become a bully and then Death-Eater, just like his father.

"Hello, Severus," a familiar voice murmurs to his left.

Severus's gaze snaps away from the future Mrs. Crabbe and to Clara Parkinson. "Hello," he returns.

Sitting down on his right, she begins to levitate toast and eggs onto her plate. "What has you up so early?" asks she.

He shrugs. "I have a project I'm working on." He takes a bite of his porridge. "And you?"

Her eyes drift to the entrance to the Great Hall. "I'm waiting for Benjy. We are going to spend the day in Hogsmeade together."

Severus nods. Then curiously, because as much as he's figured out about Clara's life given what's happening now and what he knows from his previous life, the dates of things are still rather fuzzy, he asks, "Are you two going to marry right after you graduate?"

Clara bites her lip. "Maybe. I'd like to. But…"

"What?"

She ducks her head. "He hasn't proposed yet."

He makes an appropriately sympathetic noise and puts down his spoon to reach across the table and touch her hand. "There's another month and half of school yet, don't give up on him just yet." He smirks, an idea coming to him. "Perhaps he'll propose today. What better place than Hogsmeade?"

The seventh-year's lips twitch. "Where indeed? As long as it's not in Madam Puddifoot's, I will be happy."

Severus chuckles. "Not a fan, are you?" he inquires.

Clara crinkles her nose and says, "There's far too much pink."

"Where has too much pink?"

They both turn their heads to see Benjy standing just a hand-span away from Clara, a hand propped on his hip and a playful grin on his lips. Clara's whole body responds to the sight of him; she twists her torso towards him, the rigid shape of her shoulders loosens, and her eyes dilate with pleasure. "Madam Puddifoot's," she answers. "It reminds me of a little girl's room." Getting to her feet, she presses a kiss to his cheek before linking hands with him. "Anyhow, are you ready to go?"

"Sure am," he replies. Tipping his head at Severus he says, "Severus."

He nods back. "Benjy." Severus then looks at Clara. "Goodbye, Clara."

She waves with her free hand. "I suppose I'll see you at dinner," replies the seventh-year.

As they start to turn away, Severus is reminded of shy little Hufflepuff reading at her house's table when he catches a glimpse of her as Clara and Benjy move, making her visible to him once more. "Hey!" he calls out to the couple.

The pair look over their shoulders at him, near-identical looks of curiosity on their faces. "Yes?" Clara asks for the both of them.

"Do you… Do you know anything about Priscilla Rookwood?" questions Severus, jerking his head in the direction of her.

They look at her. "I can't say I know much at all," Clara replies. "She keeps to herself – not that it's a surprise." She sighs. "I'm sure the rumors have made it hard to make friends."

Benjy draws his girlfriend closer and says, "I can't say I pay much mind to younger years' gossip." He hesitates a moment, but then tells Severus, "But last year's Head Boy was talking about how he caught her in the restricted section late one night. He was more bewildered by how she got in there without getting caught over  _what_ she was doing, however."

"Hmmm…" is all Severus gives in reply.

Clara smiles at him. "Looking for a new little protege, are you?"

He blinks at her, unsure what Clara is on about. Protege? Severus has never had one, how could he possibly be looking for another? "What?"

She and Benjy share a glance and laugh. "You don't think anyone's noticed, do you?"

"Noticed what?" Severus demands, a bit annoyed now. Though, it is more with himself than the couple. He should not have such trouble understanding what they are talking about – especially when it has to do with him.

Benjy grins. "No one says much – you've got Narcissa Black to thank for that – but  _everyone_ has picked up on the way you gather students like a herding dog gathers sheep." He juts a thumb toward the professors' table. "I'm sure they have too."

He frowns a little. "There's nothing wrong with making connections."

"Of course not," Clara concurs. "Sometimes you're just a little obvious about it."

Severus can't help but glance at the professors. Quietly, he murmurs, " _Everyone_ knows?"

"It's a good thing, really, Severus," insists Clara; her fingers nervously twisting in her skirt. "They'll no doubt consider you for a prefect next year and later, Head Boy!"

He is not keen on being either; it will interfere with his own endeavors, but now is not the time to make that known. There may never be a good time – it would be peculiar for a boy like he's made himself out to be to not want such responsibility or prestige. So, Severus nods and reluctantly agrees. "Yes, I reckon you're right."

Clara relaxes once more. "You'll make a splendid prefect, if that's what you're fretting about. You're so very good with difficult students like Scabior and Black."

"Thank you," replies Severus.

Benjy clears his throat. "Clara, love, it's time we get going."

"Ah, yes." She steps away from her boyfriend to place a friendly kiss on his cheek. "It was lovely chatting with you, Severus."

A little too stunned by the sudden familiarity, he mutely dips his chin in agreement. When the pair turns away, leaving him alone, his fingers go to his cheek. The place where Clara kissed him is warm. He ducks his head and lets his fingers curl against the spot, almost as if he's trying to trap the feeling there. As he picks up his spoon with his other hand, Severus absently thinks of the handful of other kisses he's received over the course of his two lifetimes. This one, Clara's, reminds him greatly of Lily's.

Severus is not entirely sure what to think of that or what he will do with the new information.

-o-O-o-

Hours later, when he is all but alone in Slytherin's common room furiously finishing the last of an essay by candle-light, a soft voice calls, "Severus!"

He looks up to see Clara's bright, flushed face. It's by far the most gleeful he's ever seen the Parkinson girl. He feels his lips twitch with a smile; clearly, something truly wonderful has happened to the seventh-year and she looks fit to burst from it. Putting down his quill for the moment, he returns, "'Lo Clara."

She falls into the chair across from him and positions her hands in such a way atop the table that he is drawn to look at them. On her left ring-finger there is a slim gold band with a sizable round-cut diamond shimmering warmly in the common room's dim light. He stares at it a moment longer before he slowly raises his gaze to meet Clara's.

Without prompting, she says, "It was his grandmother's. Isn't it just lovely?"

Severus grins. "Congratulations."

"I was certain you were in on the proposal," she tells him, laughing joyously. "You predicted it so well this morning!"

He joins in with her laughter for a moment. "It was not so difficult," deflects Severus. "Hogsmeade is a perfect place for a proposal."

She giggles girlishly and reaches for the hand that lays near Severus's quill. After she takes hold, she gives it a squeeze and says, "We plan to marry a week after graduation." Faint lines starting on her brow as anxiety takes hold, she asks, "I was wondering if you would be my witness for our wedding? It's going to be a small affair. You, me, Benjy, and Benjy's best mate, Clarence Bones – maybe his girlfriend too, if she'd like to accompany him."

"I… Are you sure?" Severus asks. "There's not a better friend you would rather have there to celebrate with you?"

Clara shakes her head. "No," she answers. "You started it all at the Slugclub party and have given me unwavering support since then. There is no one else I would rather have there with me."

Well, then. If that's how the seventh-year feels, he will be Clara's witness. It would be horribly rude to decline. He grips Clara's hands strongly with his own. "I would be honored."

The Parkinson (soon to be Fenwick) girl beams with relief and delight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	67. Expanding: XXV

While browsing defense theory books in the library, Severus notices a figure quickly approaching him from his right. Fingers falling away from the spine of a book he is about to pull from the shelf, Severus turns his head to see that it is Sirius's little brother hurrying towards him. He acknowledges the boy with a dip of his chin.

Regulus fidgets in place a moment before he pulls an envelope from his pocket and holds it out to Severus. "Narcissa asked that I give you this on her and Lucius's behalf."

Severus silently takes the envelope from Regulus and turns it over in his hands. He has an idea what this might be, but finds it curious she has her cousin giving it to him rather than send it by owl. As he begins to open it, Regulus locks his hands behind his back and takes it upon himself to explain the strange method of delivery. "Lucius insisted she couldn't invite you the usual way. You're half-blood and, well, you know, they can't have people thinking they actually want you there – especially not his father, or Uncle Cygnus."

He tears into the envelope and opens the little card inside. "What, pray tell, do they plan to say to their fathers when they see me at the wedding?" mutters Severus as he looks over the wedding invitation.

Regulus flushes and looks down at his toes. "Ah, well, they hope to blame the Montagues and say they brought you along as an uninvited plus one…"

Severus frowns. Oh no, that will not do. He will not let the Montagues and their reputation be hurt in such a way because of him. Severus couldn't stop the blow to their name when Aunt Vesta insisted on taking him in, but he can this. "Then I will have to regretfully tell you to inform your cousin I cannot come."

The boy startles at his reply. "You have to! Narcissa will need your help to keep Sirius in check."

"I'm sure he can behave himself for one day."

Regulus begins to worry his lip. "Um, I don't want to sound disloyal to my brother or call you a dunderhead, but this is  _Sirius_  we're talking about. He can hardly be in the same room with my mother for five minutes without picking a fight with her…"

Severus puts a hand to his forehead and sighs. "Tell Narcissa and Lucius to come up with a reason for my presence that does not involve throwing the Montagues under a griffin and then I will consider coming to their wedding."

"I will, right now, in fact," agrees Regulus with an eager nod.

Mildly bemused as he watches the younger hurry off, Severus finds the only true reaction he can have is to give a short laugh. He's curious to see what story Regulus will come back with later, but, until then, he has more pressing matters to expend his energy on. While he knows he should be thinking more about what he will say to his grandfather and what he should prepare himself for the man to say back, or how to bring up the possibility of Priscilla Rookwood being the final time-traveler to Lily and Cresswell, Severus can't.

Instead, his thoughts keep meandering back to the weddings. Severus is especially focused on how different they will be. Narcissa and Lucius's wedding without a doubt will be a production. A beautiful and magnificent one, but a show nonetheless. It will not be for the couple, but an affair for their families to show off their wealth to their friends and peers. The wedding will have so little to truly do with Lucius and Narcissa and their love for one another that it almost makes him feel pity for them.

But then he only has to remember Clara and Benjy don't even have the option of a production to banish the feeling entirely. They will go to the Ministry and be married in a little courtroom with only Severus, Bones, and his girlfriend there to watch and celebrate with them. It's sure to be an intimate event and he doesn't believe Benjy or Clara will regret forgoing the typical wedding experience, yet it is still terribly unfair the couple has to marry quietly at the Ministry to keep the Parkinsons from finding out and potentially sabotaging the union.

In any case, it's certain the summer will be very interesting – perhaps even more so than last depending on what bludgers are sent his way.

-o-O-o-

In the end, Severus decides he'd rather deal with the Rookwood issue before his grandfather. Before dinner Thursday evening he stops Lily on her way into the Great Hall and tells her he has something he wishes to discuss with her and Cresswell in their classroom later and asks if she won't pass along the message to the Ravenclaw.

Lily's face is one of anxious confusion. "Of course," agrees his friend. Tentatively, she then asks, "Has something happened?"

"No," Severus answers, then, after a moment, corrects himself, "Not  _yet_."

She nods, not looking the least bit settled by his answer. "Okay."

Severus watches from just outside the Great Hall's doorway as Lily walks by the Ravenclaw table and brushes a hand over Cresswell's shoulder, making the boy look up at her. When she leans in close and whispers into his ear, Severus only stares back with solemn eyes when Cresswell's irritated gaze meets his own. The prick will learn soon enough just how wrong he was about there not being a Hufflepuff time-traveler.

-O-

Throwing himself into a chair not far from Severus, Cresswell huffs, "What is it you want now?" Crossing his arms and glaring at Severus, he sneers, "Because I don't think I want to help. I've seen your efforts to keep apart Mei and your little chav and I have to say they're pathetic."

Severus rolls his eyes and is about to answer when, Lily, who sits beside Severus, stiffens in her seat and says, "What's this now? You asked Severus to keep two  _children_ from being friends?"

"Mei was my  _wife_ and Scabior and his snatchers  _murdered_ me."

Lily shakes her head. "Mei is a  _little girl_ and Scabior is a boy who needs all the friends he can get."

Cresswell scowls at Lily. "What aren't you following? He  _killed_ me. He would have killed my wife too if she hadn't managed to get away with the other runaways."

The girl gets to her feet and stands over the Ravenclaw, hands clenched into fists. "Scabior has killed  _no one_. The man you are talking about does not exist here."

"What kind of bloody nonsense is that? That man is a boy  _here_. Of course he exists!"

Severus considers stepping in and diffusing the argument; they need to talk about Rookwood, but he decides against it. Cresswell will never listen to Severus, but maybe Lily can get through to him and make him see sense. This world and the one they came from are different. What was won't ever be again. Some things may happen the same here to there, but it will be only because of coincidence.

"They are different! They've been different from the moment we woke up here and started changing things!" Lily argues.

Viciously, Cresswell snarls, "Not  _that_ different!"

"Yes, they are!"

Rocketing from his seat to stand nose to nose with Lily, the Ravenclaw hisses, "Prove it."

Severus starts to get up from his own seat, he knows by far the most intimate example Lily has to show that the people here and the ones from their own world are different is James. He doesn't want his friend to hurt herself while trying to make Cresswell see reason. He's not worth it. "Lily–" he starts.

"Sit down, Severus Snape," Lily orders. Her eyes locked with the Ravenclaw's she whispers, "I can handle this."

Despite her command, he stays on his feet for half a beat before reluctantly sitting back down. He perches himself on the very edge of the chair, ensuring that should he need to come between the two, it will only take but a moment. Fingers slowly wrapping around the hilt of his wand, Severus nods his head. "Very well."

Her chin starts to quiver. "James."

"What?" Cresswell replies with a note of perplexment to the question.

Lily takes an audibly shaky breath before she says, "You said prove it, I am. James is my proof."

The Ravenclaw stares back at her mutely, perspire starting around his brow. Severus thinks he's afraid. James is his Wong and he knows it just as well as she does. Cresswell knows he's going to hear some very harsh truths and fears what they will mean for him. For him and Wong and their future especially.

"When we were both kids, he was the biggest  _bully_ for the longest time. He insisted it was all in good fun, but I knew it wasn't. I saw the tears after his pranks, the way others shrank in on themselves when he came into a room in hopes of not drawing his attention, or retaliated when the opportunity arose–" Lily looks at him as she says this and he frowns, displeased. She needs to focus on James, bringing Severus into her speech will only serve to raise Cresswell's hackles and cause him to stop listening. Thankfully, Lily doesn't elaborate on that detail. "Then he started to fancy me and began to shape up when I told him I wouldn't ever date an arsehole like him. It was too late, in some ways, he'd already scarred and hurt and broken too many by that point, but he got better and became a man I could and did love."

Lily wraps her arms around herself, gaze shifting away from both him and Cresswell. In a hollow whisper she continues, "James now, James  _here,_ has never been that bully. He's had his moments, I admit, but they are few and far between. The pranks he pulls are truly good-natured and usually just on his mates. And… And he has no interest in me. Not as a potential girlfriend, anyway." Lily brings a hand to her eyes to dash away the tears Severus can see building on her pale, red lashes. "All I am to him is his girlfriend's sister and his friend from Hogwarts."

"Girlfriend's sister…?" Cresswell croaks, horror widening his eyes.

She jerks his head in an uneven nod and laughs. "He came by once during the summer and met my older sister and he's only had eyes for her since."

Cresswell takes a step back and shakes his head. "No," he says. "That's – That's not going to happen with Mei. I became friends with her now so I'd have more time with her, so we could start dating as soon as she turned seventeen…"

"Dirk," Lily says, reaching for him. "Dirk, come here."

The Ravenclaw resists for all of a moment before he lets Lily wrap her arms around him and hold him. He buries his face in her hair and whimpers, "I  _love_ her. I can't lose her. Not again."

Lily runs her hand up and down Cresswell's back. "I know," she soothes. "I know."

Severus averts his gaze from the two and quietly sighs to himself. 'This meeting has certainly gone off course,' he thinks. With how things are now, he doesn't believe Lily or Cresswell will be up for discussing the possibility of Rookwood being like them. Getting to his feet, he attempts to slip out unnoticed. He can try and have them convene again in a few days. However, Lily turns her head just in time to see him stepping out the door.

"Where are you going?" calls his friend. "I thought there was something important you wanted to talk about?"

He pauses and then slowly turns back around. "What I wanted to discuss isn't that pressing. Why don't we meet again on Saturday to discuss it?" His eyes are on Dirk, who's still wallowing in his own misery, as he says this to her.

Lily dips her chin agreeably. "Sure. If you're okay with it."

"I am," he answers before leaving altogether.

-O-

Much to his surprise, not hardly an hour later, while ambling through the dungeons' corridors to clear his head before bed, Severus runs into Rookwood. He comes to an abrupt halt and stares at her. She stutters to a stop herself and looks back at him, not quite meeting his gaze.

"What?" she asks.

He purses his lips. "Haven't you strayed a bit far from the kitchens and your dorm?"

Rookwood frowns at him. "The dungeons belong just as much to Hufflepuff as it does to Slytherin."

"I suppose that is true," he concedes.

She squints her eyes at him and then nods resolutely. "It  _is_ true." Then, as if realizing just how assertive she sounds, Rookwood moves closer to the wall and says, "Now if you'll excuse me, curfew isn't far off and I need to go get back to my dorm."

He steps aside. "Of course." Severus watches as she tiptoes past him; it's as if she's afraid he'll change his mind about letting her pass and attack. He won't, Severus isn't yet ready to confront her about being a potential time-traveler like himself quite yet. Though, once she is a few steps ahead of him, he can't help but ask, "Did you learn anything of interest from that book?"

She pauses. Looking over her shoulder at him with an expression of utter confusion, she replies, "What?"

"That book you were reading on Saturday morning in the Great Hall,  _Charms of Defense and Deterrence._ "

Rookwood blanches and whispers, "You saw?"

He shrugs. "There wasn't much else to do but look around while I was eating breakfast."

"I haven't finished quite yet. I'd hate to say yes before I've read it all. I might have a different answer when I'm done," she tells him as her fingers nervously pick at her curls.

Severus smiles at her in a way that he hopes comes off as friendly. "Perhaps when you are we can speak again? I've been meaning to give it a read and I'd like to know if it will be worth my time."

"Sure, alright," she agrees slowly. "But later."

He nods. "Very well."

Rookwood looks at him a moment more before she takes her first faltering step, followed by another, and then another, until she's taking long, quick strides to get away from Severus as fast as possible. He watches her retreating back until she turns into an adjoining corridor and disappears from sight.

'You won't be able to run from me much longer,' he thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	68. Expanding: XXVI

In spite of telling Lily they will discuss the issue on Saturday, the next morning, after breakfast, she pulls him into a lesser-used corridor on their way to potions and asks in a low voice, "What did you want to talk about last night?"

He sighs and looks around her to the main hallway. Thankfully, their fellow students are oblivious to the two of them standing here. He would prefer to wait and talk about this. He wants to rub it in Cresswell's face how wrong he was about the Hufflepuff time-traveler while also keeping him in the loop so he doesn't come to resent them later for "withholding information". Severus considers his options as he watches a couple of stragglers (Peter and Sirius, squabbling about something, a missing scale, it sounds like) hurry past the mouth of the corridor. When no more students come into their field of view, Severus says, "Cresswell has herbology right now, doesn't he?"

Lily pushes up the sleeve of her robe and checks her watch. "In ten minutes he does," she answers.

Severus nods. "Let's see if we can't find him then. I believe this is best discussed with all of us present."

As he begins to speed in the direction of a nearby shortcut that will get them back on Hogwarts's main floor in less than three minutes, Lily jogs to keep up. "I don't know how good of an idea that is," his friend says to him. "He may be upset from last night still…"

Severus looks over his shoulder at her. Lily's face is drawn, tired. He wonders how late the two of them stayed up commiserating about their lost loved ones. He shrugs a shoulder. "Even if he is, I'd rather speak to you two together, that way Cresswell can't be angry later with us for 'keeping him out of the loop'."

She frowns, but doesn't argue. Severus feels relieved that she sees the logic of his argument and isn't going to turn this into a fight. It would only serve to slow them down and force them to wait for Cresswell's Herbology class to be over before he can tell them about Rookwood. If Severus is entirely honest with himself, he doesn't want to wait. He wants to act. The sooner they find out if Rookwood is truly their last time-traveler the faster they can put together a plan about what to do with her.

With all the extra time Severus has had to consider Rookwood as a person, her potential as an ally or an enemy, he can't say he feels very confident her addition is  _good_. She'd never taken the mark like he did, but she'd supported her husband, her uncle, and the rest of her family in their pursuit to bring Voldemort's vision to fruition. What is her role in creating a "better" future? And what does she envision such a future would look like? While Severus knows he and Cresswell don't see eye to eye on most things, he does know with absolute certainty that his vision of a "better" future is the same as his in the way it doesn't include Voldemort ruling over the magical world.

The two of them now all of few meters from the Herbology Greenhouse, it doesn't take long at all to spy Cresswell among the Ravenclaws. Lily puts a hand on his shoulder. "Stay here, I'll get him," she tells Severus.

He nods and looks on as she hurries over to the group of Ravenclaws Cresswell lines the outer rim of. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws alike stare at her as she steps up to Cresswell's side, tugs him near and whispers in his ear. The reedy Ravenclaw separates from his group and steps into place beside Lily as they start walking back in his direction. A few heads turn to follow them, but none say anything to Lily or Cresswell.

Moments later, when Cresswell and Lily are standing in front of him, Severus remarks, "A story may need to be thought of later, your departure with Lily seems to have piqued their curiosity."

Cresswell rolls his eyes. "If I tell them to shove off enough times, they will."

"That seems overly harsh," Lily counters. "I'm sure we can think of a little fib. Perhaps a professor wants to talk to you?"

"Or one of your parents has fallen quite ill," suggests Severus.

The Ravenclaw scowls at him. "With  _what_?"

"Does it matter?" Severus snaps back.

Lily puts a hand on both of their arms. " _Please,_ can we not do this now?" Pressing her lips into a thin line, she then says, "Don't we have more important matters to discuss? Ones that need  _both_ of us present to talk about?"

Severus can't help but roll his eyes at her passive aggressiveness. "Yes," he bites. Waving a hand, he takes them back in the direction of the castle. Instead of going inside, however, he guides them over to a small cranny that he often checked while he was a professor for randy teenagers. Thankfully, at the moment, none are there. He brings out his wand to cast the proper privacy spells before he jumps right in and declares, "I think I've found the last time-traveler."

The two are utterly silent for a moment. Then, Lily asks, "Who is it?"

"Priscilla Rookwood," he answers. "Augustus Rookwood's niece and Bernard Crabbe's wife."

Instead of protesting his claim like Severus was half-expecting, Cresswell makes a face of disgust. "A  _Death Eater_?"

He shakes his head. "Not quite," he replies. "As far as I know, she was never marked."

"Why her?" questions Lily. "What did she do? Say?"

Severus tells them about what he saw the past weekend in the Great Hall and the story Benjy shared with him. "It's not a definitive sign in any way," he says, "but it is curious."

The Ravenclaw crosses his arms, finally showing the expected resistance to Severus's claim. "She's a Death Eater's niece, not a time-traveler! Of course she's reading stuff like that. She's probably afraid someone will attack her in retribution for what her uncle is doing."

"That's a good point…" Lily murmurs.

He looks at them and glowers. "As good as a point as it may be, what harm is there in checking?" He sharpens his glower into something a little more mocking as he jabs at the Ravenclaw, "Unless  _someone_  is afraid he'll be proven wrong about there being a Hufflepuff time-traveler."

Cresswell bristles. "I'm not afraid!"

Lily, loudly, demands, "Let's stick to the topic of what to do about Rookwood, boys."

"I  _am_ ," Severus grumbles as the Ravenclaw huffs his displeasure.

The Gryffindor narrows her eyes at him in warning, but otherwise doesn't call Severus out on his pettiness.

After a tense moment, Cresswell begrudgingly inquires, "How would you check?"

That is the question, isn't it? How  _would_ Severus check? Should he say something about Crabbe? her uncle? And see how she reacts? "I'll ask her outright," he declares abruptly. "It will be the best way to get an honest reaction from her."

"What happens when she isn't a time-traveler?" asks Lily.

He waves his wand. "It's simple. I will obliviate our encounter from her mind."

Lily glares at Severus. "I really hate how casually you talk about using that spell – especially on a little girl."

Severus makes a noise of irritation. "She might not even be a little girl."

"And if she is? What if something goes wrong? You could ruin her!" counters Lily.

He scoffs. "I'm quite skilled when it comes to magic that deals with the mind. I assure you nothing will happen to her."

"Arrogant prick," mutters Cresswell just loud enough for Severus to hear.

Severus turns a dagger-like glare on the Ravenclaw. "Perhaps you'd like to say that a little louder."

Cresswell juts out his chin and says, "You heard me just fine. Boasting doesn't inspire the confidence you think it does."

"It's not boasting when it is the  _truth_."

"Severus," Lily snaps. Then, turning to Cresswell, she tells him, "Unless you have a better idea to offer,  _belt up_."

The Ravenclaw blinks at Lily and then he  _pouts_. Like a child. Severus is torn between amusement and disgust at his childishness. However, before he can pick one, Lily pokes Severus hard in the chest – distracting him – and tells Severus, "Think of a better way to approach her about being a time-traveler. No matter how confident you are in your skills, I don't want us using obliviate on potential time-travelers like that. It's not right."

He scowls, preparing to argue more, but after a moment thinks better of it. He sighs. While he's certain the shock-value of asking Rookwood outright would cause the Hufflepuff to answer most honestly, thinking of a more sideways approach to getting the same answer really won't be so difficult. "May second is days away," he says after a moment of consideration. "I'm sure I can find a way to use the date to my advantage to get our answer."

He receives puzzled looks from both Lily and Cresswell. Severus nearly sighs in exasperation, but thinks better of it. It's not worth his time to get upset over them not recalling May second is the day he died and the day the Battle of Hogwarts happened. With forced patience, he elaborates for the two, "May second is the day I died – when Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and the light faced off on Hogwarts's grounds. If Rookwood was there, if she survived it, I'm sure the date will be very significant to her."

"I still can't believe they had the battle here," Cresswell mutters as he casts his gaze on Hogwarts's grounds. "This is a school for  _children_."

Severus can only shake his head. "Voldemort never had qualms about hurting or killing children before, and any among his army who do know to keep their mouths shut – unless they  _want_  to be on the wrong end of a cruciatus curse for impudence."

Cresswell still looks sour, but nods his head grimly, accepting his answer. There is no denying the truth of his statement.

Lily, for her part, says, "It's still terrible. Yet… I can't say I'm upset I missed the battle."

"Neither can I," concurs Severus, making a point to meet Cresswell's gaze as he says this, hoping he will understand that Severus prefers he wasn't there either. The battle was a horrendous experience even before his death in the Shrieking Shack. "I was half-certain it was the end of the world."

-o-O-o-

As he promised, Severus takes the sideways approach with Rookwood. On May first he keeps an eye on her, looking for the perfect moment to confront her. As the day begins to come to an end, he worries that there won't be a chance. Rookwood spends all her time following her housemates around, never included in their conversations or activities, but always too near to them for Severus to feel comfortable about approaching. When dinner comes and goes with Rookwood  _still_ sticking close to her housemates, Severus feels his frustrations grow.

Today did not go as planned. Tomorrow he will manufacture a moment to approach Rookwood if he has to. Severus can't let this go on much longer. They need to know if she's their other time-traveler and he's hopeful if he talks to her now, when her emotions may be running high thanks to the date, she won't be able to lie or rebuff him as easily.

After he finishes helping Sage study for Monday's Transfiguration exam, Severus decides to take to the dungeons to clear his head before curfew. While ambling the stone halls, Severus has a stroke of luck. After turning a corner down near the Hufflepuff dorms, he spies Rookwood making her own circuit. In order not to frighten her or raise her suspicions, Severus slowly catches up with Rookwood.

When he comes up beside her, she says, "I'm still not done with the book."

He furrows his brows in confusion. Then, as understanding dawns, he dips his chin amicably. "I suppose I should have expected as much. You  _are_ only a Hufflepuff."

She purses her lips, but otherwise doesn't react to the insult. For a few minutes, silence reigns as they continue walking deeper and deeper into Hogwarts dungeons. Severus reckons they'll have to turn back soon if they have any intention of making it back to their dorms in time for curfew. He lets another minute pass before he says, "Tomorrow is the second."

He can feel Rookwood looking at him out of the corner of her eye, but she says nothing still.

Severus wraps his fingers around his wand before he remarks, "Unfortunately, I don't know if I should celebrate it or rage about it."

The Hufflepuff comes to a full stop. Severus turns to face her and finds Rookwood's plump countenance full of hate and anger, thankfully, though, her hands are both empty. "A traitor like you would probably celebrate tomorrow."

He smirks at her. "So you  _are_ one of us."

"Us?" she repeats in a small, suspicious tone.

Severus nods. "Lily Potter and Dirk Cresswell complete our little group."

Rookwood balls her hands into fists and looks as if she's using all of her self-control to not charge screaming at him. She then half-turns away from Severus and takes several panting breaths. When done, she hisses, "I  _knew_ I shouldn't have trusted that bitch!"

He raises an eyebrow, hopeful Rookwood will continue to talk so freely in her moment of fury. Thankfully for Severus, she does.

Pacing the width of the hall now, shaking visibly as she does so, Rookwood decries the mystery "bitch". "She said if I let her use me as a conduit I could go back and fix things! Save Vince! My parents and uncle! That I would have  _help_! Instead, I ended up in the past thirty years too early; a time where Vince doesn't even exist and my help is a traitor and a pair of  _Mudblo_ –"

"Langlock!" jinxes Severus.

The girl turns towards him, eyes wide with shock.

Firmly, he tells her, "You will not use that word around me."

If eyes worked like wands, Severus would surely be dead. After a few seconds of returning an equally hateful glare, however, Rookwood reluctantly nods her head.

Severus performs the reverse of the jinx, allowing the Hufflepuff to speak once more. "I didn't want this," she says. "I wanted to save my son and my family."

"I wanted peace," he replies. "But all I've gotten is strife."

Rookwood scowls, unrepentant. Severus can't say he's surprised. She has only ill-will towards him. Evidentally, she survived the war and his full role in it came to light. He's sure it smarts to realize that your "help" is someone who actively worked against you and your family. However, perhaps things don't have to stay that way.

Severus knows what she wants; Rookwood wants to rescue her family from whatever dismal fate they met after the battle. He can give her that – even if it won't be quite in the way she expects. She will undoubtedly hate it too.

"I can help you save your family, you know," he tells her.

Rookwood laughs. "Can you now? How?"

He maintains his neutral expression. "You will not like my answer."

"I already know that, you  _traitor_ ," she snaps.

He resists the urge to scowl. "To save your family," he says, "you will have to help the rest of us defeat Voldemort."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	69. Expanding: XXVII

 

Severus doesn't let Rookwood go after her reveal. Instead, he insists she accompany him to find Lily and Cresswell so that they can discuss everything together as a group. The Hufflepuff scowls and looks as if she might disagree (loudly, too). To combat her surliness Severus asks if she'd rather tell him her tale now, answer all of his questions, then do it all over again later with Cresswell and Lily. Rookwood's scowl harshens for a moment and then disappears entirely as she relents.

He's pleased by this and relieved to see that Rookwood posses some sensibility after all. He'd wondered, especially since she said she let herself be used as a conduit for whatever ritual or enchantment it was that brought them all back here. From her tantrum, it's evident coming back this far had never been a part of her plan – or for them to be her help. Severus does not yet know Rookwood's full story, but he is willing to believe she let her emotions get the better of her after the battle – or perhaps after something happened to her son – and then let herself be taken advantage of by the witch who sent her here.

"Come on then," he says to her. "We'll get Lily first. You'll need to go up to her dorm for me, her bed is the third on the right."

Reluctantly, the dumpy girl falls into line behind Severus as they take a slightly roundabout path to the Gryffindor dorms to avoid professors and Filch patrolling the main corridors. When they reach the tower, he says the password to the Fat Lady and she lets them in. He can feel Rookwood's stare on him as they skirt around the edge of the common room where there are a few Gryffindor night owls quietly talking or finishing their last-minute essays in the dim candlelight.

Severus resists the urge to sigh and explains, "Lily knows the Slytherin dorm's password in case of emergencies as well."

Rookwood's scrutinizing gaze doesn't change, though, she nods all the same. He points her in the direction of Lily's dorm. "Be quick. Careful too. There's always a chance a girl or two is awake still."

The Hufflepuff makes a noise in the back of her throat that sounds like annoyance, but does as he asks. Anxiously, Severus awaits Lily and her return. He keeps a wary eye on the Gryffindors just meters away, hoping that none will look his way or get up to go their dorm rooms. They will surely notice him then and he has no interest in trying to explain why he's in their common room – or how he got in.

Thankfully, a minute later, Lily is descending the stairs two at a time with Rookwood bobbing in and out of view over her shoulder. The Gryffindor's eyes are wide and questioning as she comes to stand next to Severus. He snags her arm and glances pointedly at the portrait. He will tell Lily everything he knows once they are away from here. Guiding them out of the Gryffindor's common room, Severus swears when he sees the far too familiar glowing eyes of Mrs. Norris in the shadows outside of Gryffindor's Tower.

To Severus's surprise, Rookwood doesn't hesitate. She shoves past them and hisses, "Stupefy!"

Mrs. Norris yowls. Grabbing both of the girls, Severus hurries them away from the Fat Lady's Portrait and to crouch behind a suit of armor on the other side of the hallway. Not even a minute later, Filch appears. He calls for his cat and then begins to look in the shadows. It doesn't take him long at all to find Mrs. Norris. He lets out a particularly colorful stream of cuss words as he picks up his stunned familiar.

With renewed vigor, the middle-aged man begins to look around, searching for Mrs. Norris's attacker. Severus presses them further behind the suit of armor. It really isn't a good hiding place. But in the dark…

Thankfully, after a couple of more minutes, Filch begins to walk in the direction opposite of them, giving Severus, Lily, and Rookwood the chance to slip away and down an adjoining corridor without drawing the caretaker's attention to them. When they are about halfway to the Ravenclaw dorms, Lily murmurs, "That was close."

"Indeed," he replies.

Lily looks around him and to Rookwood, who walks on Severus's other side. "So?" she says. "Are you one of us?"

The Hufflepuff scoffs. "One of  _you_? I'll have you know my family can trace our line back almost to the seventeenth century!"

Severus pinches the bridge of his nose while Lily gapes at the cantankerous girl. "Your deliberate obtuseness will win you no favor," Severus grinds out. Then, apologetically, he tells Lily, "Yes. She's the last of us." He looks at Rookwood, who's crossed her arms and is now refusing to look at either of them. "The first too, actually."

Lily makes a face of confusion at his remark, but doesn't ask for clarification. The Ravenclaw Tower is now in sight and it's time for Severus to climb the staircase and go collect Cresswell for them. Telling the girls to wait behind the base of the stairs, he hurries up the steps and waits for a riddle from the eagle doorknocker.

After a moment, it asks, " _What weighs more: a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks?_ "

Severus considers the question for all of a moment. "They both weigh a pound. Neither one weighs more."

The door swings open. Severus steps in and just as he's going to sequester himself to the shadows so he can sneak into the fourth-year boy dorms, he notices a familiar dirty-blond head resting on a pair of long, thin arms at one of the Ravenclaw common room's many study tables. Taking out his wand, he shoots a very light stinging hex at the dozing Ravenclaw.

He bolts up from his seat and looks wildly around the room before his gaze lands on Severus. He doesn't try to look contrite. Instead, Severus insistently waves him over. When Cresswell is next to him, he jerks his head in the direction of the door and doesn't wait for any kind of agreement before he heads in the direction of it. Thankfully, the Ravenclaw follows. A moment later, when they step out of his dorms, Lily and Rookwood's faces pop out from behind the stairs and Cresswell understands. "That's Rookwood next to Lily, isn't it?"

"She's the last of us," Severus informs him.

Cresswell puts a hand on his forehead and sighs. "Bugger."

Severus won't dare say it, but it's a sentiment he agrees with. Bugger is right. Who knows what kind of mess having  _her_ for the last of them is going to lead to?

-O-

Rookwood walks around their classroom, taking everything in with a curiously bemused expression. "How has no one ever discovered your classroom?"

"It's properly warded," replies Severus. "Now, are you going to sit down? We've gone nearly five years without an explanation and I don't know about Lily or Cresswell, but I don't want to see another sunrise without an understanding of how we came to be children again in the past."

"A different reality," interjects Lily.

He rolls his eyes. "Yes, alright, in a different  _reality_."

The Hufflepuff sighs. Turning away from Severus's experiments, she then shuffles over to a desk a few rows away from all of them and takes a seat behind it. "Where should I start?" she asks. "At the battle?"

"If that's the best place to begin," he replies. "It did sound like from what you said earlier that the light won."

Her lips curl with displeasure. "That you did."

Lily, who's now taut like a bow waiting for release, asks, "Did Harry survive? Is he alive?"

"He did and he was when I…  _left_ ," Rookwood replies. "Who knows if he is now, however. He was an Auror." Her smiles is hardly kind as she comments, "As we all know, they have a higher mortality rate than most."

Severus's friend sinks into her seat, her hand over mouth. Tears spill silently from her eyes and Severus reaches over to squeeze her free hand. She lets her hand fall away from her mouth to give him a wobbly smile. He returns it. Severus knows this is something that has been wearing at Lily, not knowing if her son survived. Now she knows he not only made it out of the battle alive, but that he's an Auror too.

"Don't suppose you know anything about my wife or boys, do you?" asks Cresswell, voice rough.

Rookwood stares at him blankly. "Should I… Hmm, what's your name? Cuthbert?" she returns.

Severus winces. He holds little sympathy for Cresswell, but even Severus can't deny such a cold answer is a hex below the belt. As a parent herself, surely Rookwood could have replied with a little more care and sympathy.

"It's Cresswell," croaks the Ravenclaw before he turns his head to surreptitiously wipe his eyes with his thumb.

Quietly, in way of retaliation for her callousness, Severus mutters, "She knows your name. Rookwood is just being a  _cunt_."

The girl's dark eyes smolder like hot coal at his insult. He can't say he cares. Instead, he claps a hand on Cresswell's shoulder as he gets to his feet. Once standing, he walks a little closer to her and says, "You mentioned a witch sent you – and us – here by using you as a conduit. What, pray tell, were you a conduit  _for_? A spell? Ritual?"

She squirms in her seat a moment. Then, quietly, she replies, "It was a ritual." She tilts her head forward, causing her curls to close around most of her face like a curtain. "The witch – Nuwa Ledgers – performed a ritual."

"Nuwa…" Cresswell mumbles. "Nuwa Ledgers…"

Severus ignores him in favor of asking, "What was the ritual supposed to do exactly?"

"Send me back so I could save Vince and my family!" she snaps. "I've said that to you already!"

He just barely stops himself from rolling his eyes. "Yes, but  _how_?"

"She said my conscience with all of my current memories and knowledge would be sent back to take over my past self's body so that I could make the corrections necessary to save Vince and help my family."

"How do we come into this?" questions Lily, finally joining Severus in the inquiry.

Rookwood shrugs her shoulders. "I don't… She said there were people she wanted to bring back to help me, but they were all dead already. You have to use some who's alive for the ritual to work."

Severus frowned. "She picked us?"

"I didn't know it was you all," the Hufflepuff grumbles. "It's not as if the stand-ins she used for you were terribly identifying."

He shares a glance with Lily. She looks just as shocked as he feels. "She had  _stand-ins_? Others were involved in your ritual?"

"No, no," Rookwood huffs, "They were objects. A book, a ratty robe, and a ring."

Cresswell stops talking to himself. "A ring? What kind of ring?" he demands.

"I don't know. It was a gold band. Perhaps a wedding ring."

Severus looks at Cresswell. The lanky Ravenclaw is wringing his wand in a very fretful matter. It makes him wonder what exactly is going through the other's mind and if he's going to have to prod him to say or if he'll tell them himself in another minute or two. Even so, Severus can't help but ask, "Do you think it may have been yours?"

He drops his gaze to his laps. "It wouldn't be out of the question," he mumbles. "Surely Lily's wedding band had a diamond or two."

"It did," Lily agrees. "A diamond accented by a pair of garnet gems on either side."

"It wasn't your ring, then," Rookwood concludes. "It was easy to tell even from where I stood in the ritual's diamond it was just a band."

Lily nods. "Perhaps the robe was mine? I imagine if they weren't preserved after my death they would start to look a bit raggedy after nearly twenty years of just existing." She favors Severus with a teasing smile. "Unless your teaching salary could only afford you secondhand robes?"

He smirks back. "Being a professor may not be a path to wealth, but the pay is still quite generous – as it should be. Teenagers are shits."

She laughs and, for a moment, the worry on Cresswell's face lessens, as he snorts his amusement at Severus's remark.

"Alright, so the ring belonged to Cresswell, the robe was mine, and the book was yours," Lily lists off. "And she used them to send us back with Rookwood…" She tilts her head. "Which is all well and good, but  _why_ us?"

Rookwood crosses her arms. "Why you indeed."

"Can you describe her? Nuwa?" inquires Cresswell.

This makes the Hufflepuff crinkle her nose. "She was quite scarred. It looked like a potion or some kind of blasting curse caught her in the face and then she let it heal the Muggle-way. So, I don't imagine describing her will do much good – she probably doesn't look like anyone you might remember."

Cresswell sneers at her. "I don't care what  _you_ think!" Abruptly on his feet and pointing his wand at her, he demands, "Just tell me what she looked like!"

"Dirk!" Lily decries. "Put your wand down!"

The Ravenclaw ignores her. His friend looks to Severus, pleading, but he too ignores her. Cresswell might be near an epiphany surrounding this Nuwa and who she is and he, for one, wants to know who she might be and what could have motivated her to help Rookwood and bring them all back here. Rookwood starts to go for her own wand, but Severus silently disarms her, leaving her defenseless.

If she tries to run or attack them, he has no qualms about stunning her and then digging through her mind in a far from gentle manner for the answers Cresswell seeks. A wide-eyed look of horror overcoming her, Rookwood wheezes, "I – I don't…"

"Don't  _what_?" Cresswell demands.

She shakes. "She always wore her hood up! I never saw more than her face and hands!"

The Ravenclaw covers his face at the words. After a moment, he takes them away. There's a determined light to his hazel-hued eyes. "If I pointed out who I think they were to you here at Hogwarts, do you think you'd recognize them? Even if they aren't scarred and are just a girl?"

"Yes!" Rookwood answers, "I'm sure I could!"

Severus doesn't believe her. He thinks she's just trying to appease them so she can get away from Cresswell, but he doesn't say that. It won't help anything right now if he does. Instead, he asks Dirk, "Do you have an idea who this Nuwa is?"

He nods. "I think it could be Mei," he answers. "Nuwa Ledgers… You can rearrange all the letters and get my sons' names. Douglas and Wren." He runs a hand through his hair. "She could also  _do_ something like this. She was pretty high up in the Unspeakables and I'm sure she'd be able to get her hands on a tome that had a ritual that could send all our consciences back in time."

The drumming of fingers on wood draws Severus's gaze back to Lily. Her brows are furrowed with perplexment and disgruntlement. "Why us, though? I can understand you in a way, you're her  _husband_. But for me? Severus?"

"Snape here is easy," Rookwood proclaims. "He was a spy who fooled Voldemort for  _years_. She probably thought you and Cresswell could do with someone who's so slippery to help survive the wars. Someone who could help end them faster too, with his vast inside knowledge of the Lord and his Death Eaters."

"And me?" asks Lily. "Why me? What could she think I'd be good for? I'll fight, just like I did before, but I was just a soldier before Harry."

Cresswell grins. "Snape's a goddamn bastard. And you were his friend once. Since Snape turned out to be a hero for the light in the end, I bet she thought if you were here and he could show you that, you'd become mates again and help take his edge away or act as a middleman or something."

Lily chuckles. Smiling a little, she says, "What do you think, Sev? Does that sound probable to you?"

"It was what happened," he concedes grudgingly. "I probably would have killed Cresswell before now without you too."

She laughs once more. "Can you believe it? We're all here because Mei wanted Dirk to live, even if it wasn't in our old reality with her."

Cresswell starts to shake his head. "She did," he says, "But I… I think that's only a part of it. We always wanted to leave a better world for our boys, it was something we talked about. We hoped to get into politics once the Doug and Wren were done at Hogwarts. We wanted to change things, make it better, more welcoming to everyone – no matter where they came from or who their parents were." Eyes bright and awestruck, he looks out at all of them and says, "That's why she did it.

"We should have never had our kids in the world we lived in. It was no good. It tried to kill the both of us and almost  _succeeded._ Doug and Wren were nearly turned into orphans. She sent us back this far so we could fix things earlier. So our boys could be born in a world they'd never have to fear for our lives – or their own. She wants them to be born and grow up in a place that's  _truly_ peaceful, not in the middle of a ceasefire that could and did break back into war the first moment it could."

Severus wants to protest, insist that surely Cresswell can't know if that's really why Wong sent them all here. Yet… Wong was his  _wife_. If not him, who else would understand Wong's motivations? Certainly not him. Nor Lily or Rookwood. It's a hard potion to swallow, but Cresswell's explanation might be the closest they ever get to a true answer.

-o-O-o-

They don't leave the classroom with Rookwood vowing to give up her prejudiced ways or to help them defeat Voldemort, but she does promise not to get in their way. Severus thinks she's a bit afraid of the three of them. She's a very average witch and they are all  _greatly_ above average in their own ways. While her promise is a very satisfactory outcome to their meeting as far as Severus and Cresswell are concerned. Lily seems a little sad that Rookwood is so reluctant to engage further with the rest of their small group at a later date – even if it's just to talk more about what the future of their first home held – but she doesn't push.

For now, anyway. He doubts she'll be happy to leave Rookwood alone for much longer than the summer. Lily's gotten a taste for what her son's life is like and she's going to want  _more_. It shouldn't be all that hard for Rookwood to give it to her either, Harry Potter was a favored topic of newspapers even before the boy came to Hogwarts. He can only imagine the types of stories they were publishing about him after the war.

Now that the mystery of Rookwood has been settled for the time being, Severus has to deal with his own problems. Which he is  _extremely_ unhappy about. So much so Sage picks up on it within a day of his ousting Rookwood to the others. His brother doesn't bother with delicacy either when he confronts him.

"What rat's crawled up your shorts and died?" asks the boy as they are preparing for bed in the boys' bathroom together.

He looks at Sage's reflection in the mirror and scowls. Bending his head so he's centered over the sink, he spits out the toothpaste in his mouth and rinses off the bristles of his toothbrush before he answers. "Nothing."

Sage scoffs and continues with combing his damp hair.

"It's nothing, really. I can handle it on my own just fine."

Blue eyes take on a doubtful gleam. "Uh-huh."

He scowls back at his brother. "It's not as if I haven't handled him on my own before."

" _Him_?" Sage repeats with a small amount of alarm. His eyes start to widen as he realizes just who Severus is talking about. "You mean Great Uncle Demitri, don't you?"

Severus doesn't answer.

Sage turns to face him. "Why?" he asks. "He made you lose. If my grandfather had done that to me, I wouldn't want to ever see him again, let alone talk to him."

"It's not that I want to," explains Severus, "But that I have to." Buttoning up his pajama top, Severus turns his head to meet Sage's gaze. "Aunt Vesta will be upset that he purposefully plotted my loss, but not for long." He tries for a smirk. "You mother is wonderful overall, but she's a busybody that can't stand to have bad blood in the family. If I don't talk to Demitri now and at least make some sort of  _truce,_ Aunt Vesta will notice we aren't getting on and then pester us to tell her why and decide from that information to shove us in a room together and refuse to let us out until we forgive each other."

His brother purses his lips like he's going to argue, but then sighs. "That sounds like Mum," he agrees.

Severus gives Sage's shoulder a squeeze. "So you understand? I  _must_ speak to Demitri now. It's the only way it will be on my terms and not anyone else's."

"I do." He furrows his brows and searches Severus's face a moment. "I still don't like it, though. I hope your conversation goes well."

He smiles. "Thank you, Sage."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	70. Expanding: XXVIII

It's not hard to find Demitri alone. Since the dueling competition's end and Ollivander revealing his role in it, students have come to distrust him. They only see him for their defense classes and do not linger once they are over. Walking through his grandfather's empty classroom and to where his office lays behind it, Severus slips in through the partly opened door. Positioning himself in front of the old man's desk, he says, "Hello."

Demitri lifts his gaze from parchment in his hand. "Why, do my eyes deceive me? Or has my grandson finally decided to grace me with conversation once more?"

"Fuck you," snaps Severus. "You're lucky I even come to your class anymore."

The old man puts down the parchment and glares at him. "I will take house points from you if you don't watch that mouth of yours."

Severus crosses his arm and sneers. "Do it. It'll be just another nail in the coffin that is your teaching career."

His grandfather's eyes turn glacial in the following silence. Finally, he asks in a clipped tone, "Was there something you wanted?"

He nods. "Yes," he answers. "I wish to put our differences behind us." He raises his voice a decibel to indicate he has more to say as he continues, "I can't forgive you for what you did. I am a  _man_ even if my appearance does not match and if you had concerns about the dueling competition and my place in it you should have discussed it with me."

Demitri scowls. "I  _told_ you–"

Nearly shouting, Severus says over his grandfather, "It doesn't matter to me what you think! It was wrong. How do you think it comes off doing something like that? It looks like you don't trust me. That  _stings_. I placed so much faith in you when I revealed myself, yet…" Severus trails off as his voice takes on a wavering lilt. He wraps his hand into a fist around his wand and looks away from Demitri. His eyes flicker over the tapestries his grandfather has decorated his office walls with. They depict scenic views mostly; unending country hills, quiet lakes set in the foreground of forest scenes. Among the pleasing landscapes, however, there is one that shows a witch flanked by thestrals. She's dressed darkly and looks as if she may be Lady Death, but Severus knows she's not. Her eyes are familiar. Their hooded shape and cauldron-black hue are identical to his mother's. The same as his own.

It is a tapestry of his grandmother. For a brief, painful moment, Severus wishes she were alive so he could meet her. Practicality and hard-taught lessons set in as soon as the thought is completed to tell him it is for the best, however. Given his odds, she is unlikely to be the unconditional well of support he always wished and craved for in a person. Grandmother Etta is far more likely to be yet another disappointment. Another who says they care for him, but betrays or leaves him just when he starts to feel he can trust them.

Averting his gaze away from the woman's portrait, Severus swallows. "I know I do not come off as a trustworthy sort, but I thought– It doesn't matter, I suppose. What I am here to say is I am willing to let it lie. Summer is not far off and Aunt Vesta will surely notice if we are cool to one another. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not spend the next three months being badgered about what has gone off between us since Christmas hols. With or without an answer, she will try and fix it and when we refuse to mend things, it will only aggravate her." Severus finally meets his grandfather's pale blue gaze for the first time since he came into the man's office. "The last thing I want to do is send her to an early grave from all of the stress."

Demitri dips his chin. "Very well."

Severus frowns as his hairs rise on his neck. This feels too easy. Nothing ever goes this well for him. "That is all you have to say?"

The old man steeples his hands on his desk and shrugs his shoulders. "I care for Vesta as well. She and her sons are truly the only family left that has never disappointed me."

He doesn't know how to reply. The relief he should feel knowing his grandfather has agreed to be civil doesn't come. Instead, there's a fire of rage growing in the pit of his stomach. With each breath, the flames rise higher and higher. Finally, when he can feel the heat in the back of his throat, Severus hurls, "I'm sure they wouldn't say the same about you."

Promptly after, Severus takes his leave.

-o-O-o-

When Sage sits down to dinner, the table is abuzz with gossip. Which truly isn't all that unusual these days. First, there was Clara and Benjy Fenwick after Christmas hols, then the dueling competition, after that, Scabior's victory and finally the news Great Uncle Demitri tried to fix the competition. As he takes a seat and scans the table for Severus, he tunes most of it out. When he doesn't spy his brother anywhere Sage does his best to shrug it off. It's not completely out of character for Severus to skive off a class or two. Yet… Today is the day he's supposed to talk to Sage's great uncle about putting their differences behind them. He hopes Severus missing from their classes is just a sign of nerves or him preparing for their discussion.

A moment later, while he serves himself a helping of Sheppard's pie, his ears prick when Regulus says, "…It looks like they tried to set fire to the sinks too."

Mouth full of pie, Sage brings his free hand up to hide his mouth as he asks, "What seems like someone tried to set fire to it?"

Regulus looks at him surprised. "You haven't heard yet? It looks like a mountain troll and dragon battled in the younger years boys' loo!"

He hasn't. He says so.

The Black spare explains, "When some of us went up to clean up from Herbology a couple of hours ago, we found it in shambles." The boy looks in the direction of the staff table. Most of the teachers there look a little grim and the Headmaster, Deputy Headmistress, and Professor Slughorn are missing. "I think some of the professors are fixing it up right now."

"Does anyone know who did it?"

Regulus shakes his head. "No, but some have a few ideas." The Black boy glances to his right where Scabior sits, wolfing down his dinner, oblivious to the rest of them. "Avery thinks Scabior did it."

Sage frowns. "I don't think so. He's destructive, but not like that."

The younger boy shrugs. "It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility."

He wants to object more, but he's scared if he does, he'll have to offer his own theory. Sage is very afraid he's right about his. Severus still hasn't turned up for dinner and his absence from classes earlier does not bode well. So, with great reluctance, he concedes, "Yes, you may be right."

-O-

In spite of wanting to leave dinner immediately after his conversation with Regulus, Sage forces himself to finish his helping of Sheppard's pie. Then eat another. He wants to draw as little suspicion as possible to his brother and to do so, he needs to act normal, unconcerned about the empty, Severus shaped hole next to him. When he's done eating, he takes his usual path to the Slytherin common rooms, nodding at Ollivander when he passes her on his way. They are on acquaintance terms and it's only polite to acknowledge her existence. Now more than ever.

He needs to look  _normal_.

When he gets to the Slytherin dorm, he says the password and steps into their common room. As he heads in the direction of the stairs to his dorm, he pauses for a few minutes to talk to William when his dormmate greets him. It's tripe chatter, but it takes all of Sage's focus to pay attention and to respond appropriately. When he finally finds a way to end their conversation, he wastes no time on the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he all but runs to his and Severus's dorm.

Bursting into the room, his eyes dart around the dorm. It looks empty, yet it might not be. The curtains of Severus's bed are pulled halfway around the bed. His brother often leaves his curtains askew like so while away. If the curtains are always half-pulled around his bed, obscuring most of it from view, how is anyone to know if Severus's truly sitting there or not? Sage suspects he does it so he can hide in their dorm undisturbed when it pleases him.

"Severus?" he calls.

His brother doesn't answer. Walking in the direction of Severus's bed, he calls again, "Severus?"

Once more, the other boy doesn't reply. Grabbing the curtains of Severus's bed in his hand, he yanks them aside. Sage puts a hand on his chest when it reveals his brother lying face down on his bed. "Severus! Why didn't you answer?

The black-haired boy turns his head to look at Sage, his expression mulish. "Why? I knew you'd come this way and find me."

Sage fidgets for a moment. "…Are you okay?"

Far too quickly, Severus replies, "Yes."

"How long have you been here? Do you know anything about the bathroom? And why did you miss class?" asks Sage in rapid fire.

Severus ignores all but his last question. "I'm already a disappointment to him, how much more can I possibly let Demitri down by skiving off his class?"

It's on the tip of his tongue to repeat his earlier questions, but Sage supposes he may as well follow this line of questioning to its end first. "So you talked to him?"

His brother's face darkens. "Yes, earlier today."

Sage tenses. He does not like the tone Severus is using at all. "I thought you two were putting things behind you."

Severus crosses his arms in front of him and rests his chin on them. Glaring at the headboard of his bed, he answers, words clipped, "We did."

"But… Why are you here then?" questions Sage, confused. "When did he call you a disappointment?"

"At the end."

The bottom of Sage's stomach falls out, leaving him queasy. "No."

"I don't even know why I care. It's not as if I didn't already know I was lackluster in his eyes. I'm a half-blood – which is nothing anyone in our family cares for." Severus turns to hide his face in the harbor of his arms. Voice muffled, he says, "I've not been a very good grandson either. I've been prickly from the start and whenever he tried to be remotely kind, I pushed him away."

Sage gingerly lays a hand on Severus's back. "He disowned Aunt Eileen. You had every right to not trust Great Uncle Demitri when you met him. You didn't know if he'd hate you for that alone. And later…" He furrows his brows and frowns. "He's gone about it all wrong," says Sage, mind running through all he knows in regards to Severus and his great uncle. "What has he done to prove you can trust him and rely on him?"

"Demitri helped save Mum."

He sighs. "That's one good thing. But… Was it ever really  _for_ you? Yes, Aunt Eileen's still alive, and so are we because of it, yet what you two did for her feels to me that it was more for your mum's benefit than yours."

Severus shifts and curls up on his side, keeping his back to Sage as he does so. "So you are saying he doesn't care about me at all," he mutters. "That's so much better."

"That's not– No– Severus–" he babbles.

Severus lifts his arm to silence Sage. "You've said enough."

He falls quiet for a minute. Then, he asks, "Did you have anything to do with the bathroom?"

"Yes. When I finished speaking with Demitri I was angry."

Sage begins to wring his hands. "You could get expelled when they figure out it was you! Come on, Severus, you need to get up. Maybe you can apologize now and explain–"

"No."

"But–"

"They aren't going to connect it to me," Severus tells him firmly.

He chews on the inside of his cheek. Sage knows better than to doubt his brother; if he says the professors won't tie it to him, they won't. Severus has yet to be wrong about this sort of thing. Even so, Sage worries. He can't help it. Severus looks so melancholic and it hurts. It makes him think of his father, which scares Sage.

"Do you want me to sit with you?" he asks.

Severus gives a small, tired sigh. "No, thank you. I'd rather be alone right now."

Sage nods. Taking a step back from Severus's bed, he takes hold of the curtain and pulls it back to its original position half-way around his brother's bed. As he leaves the dorm, Sage decides this can't go on.

-O-

For a time, Sage hovers outside of the Defense classroom. He's a little afraid and can't help but worry what he's about to do will only make things worse. If it does, will Severus forgive him? Sage almost turns back at that thought alone. Yet as he starts to walk away, he stops. If he doesn't say anything, no one will. Severus thinks he's gotten what he wants from his confrontation with Great Uncle Demitiri, but Sage knows that's not the case. If he had, he wouldn't have destroyed their loo or be laid out facedown in his bed right now.

Swallowing down his nerves, Sage marches through the classroom and right into his great uncle's office. The old man puts down his cup of tea at the sight of Sage and smiles at him. "Hello there, lad. What's brought you by?"

He doesn't return Great Uncle Demitri's grin. Instead, he squares his shoulders and asks, "How can you be disappointed in Severus?"

The pleasantness runs away from Great Uncle Demitri's face. Eyes now reproving, he says nothing to Sage.

Undeterred by the glare, Sage shouts, "You don't even know him!"

The old man's face darkens as he growls, "I know enough."

Sage shakes his head. "No, you don't. If you did you'd be proud. He so  _unselfish_. Severus helps everyone, even those who really don't deserve it. He's the best kind of family anyone could ask for."

"He's not a hero, lad," Great Uncle Demitri warns.

He opens and closes his mouth. Then, after a moment, he replies slowly, "I never said he was."

His great uncle scoffs. "If you think I can't see the hero-worship in your eyes, you are sorely mistaken, lad."

"No, Great Uncle Demitri, what you're seeing is love." Squaring his jaw, he warns, "And I can tell you right now that I'm not the only one who loves Severus. If you don't start treating Severus more kindly soon, Mother and Boyd  _will_ notice. They're far more likely to stand by him than you as well. Mother's lost enough people in her life, and it will hurt her if she has to, but she will cut you out if it means Severus and Aunt Eileen will stay. She's wondered and missed them enough for one lifetime and she's not about to let them go again so easily "

The old man's eyes flutter a fraction wider for a moment, then, his face settles in an emotionless mask. Coolly, Great Uncle Demitri nods his head. "I will take what you have said under advisement."

Sage returns the nod, a feeling of relief and pride washing over him. "Thank you, Great Uncle Demitri."

-o-O-o-

At the end of the last Defense Against The Dark Arts class for the year, Demitri requests, "Mister Snape, will you please stay here a moment?"

Severus, who's in the midst of putting away his parchment and quill, pauses to share a look with Lily across the classroom. Her eyes are wide and questioning. He frowns at her and tries to convey that he's has surprised as she is at the request. After their last conversation, Severus expected they really wouldn't be speaking to each other unless they absolutely had to. He'd even told Lily so when he talked with her about their conversation a few days ago.

He shifts his gaze to his grandfather and says, "Yes, Professor." Before he returns to packing his satchel. When done, Severus sits back down and watches with tense shoulders as the rest of the students file out. Lily, as she passes his desk, makes a quick gesture at him to indicate she'll be just outside, waiting for him. He nods minutely and brings his hands together on the top of his desk.

A minute later, when it's just the two of them, they stare across the classroom at one another in silence. After a few seconds, Demitri sighs. He walks over to Severus's desk and takes a seat in the one in front of Severus. This leveling the old man is doing is something is new to Severus and makes him wonder if he shouldn't reach for his wand.

Abruptly, his grandfather says, "With time for reflection, I've realized I may have been too harsh during our last encounter." His eyes turn sad. "You are not a disappointment."

"…Okay," he mutters, feeling more uncomfortable by the second.

He thins his mouth into a grim line. "It may be too late now, I understand, but I'd like for us to be amicable going forward."

"Yes, of course," agrees Severus. "That's all I ever wanted. I know it will make Aunt Vesta and Mum happy if we can at least pretend we're getting on."

"It will, won't it?" the old man muses. His lips lift with a faint smile. "You're actually quite the people-pleaser, aren't you, lad?"

He frowns, not sure if he should take the remark as an insult or a simple observation. Either way, he can't say he agrees with the descriptor. "I don't think I'd say that."

"Hmm…"

Severus unclasps his hands and reaches for his satchel. He doesn't want to stay here with his grandfather anymore. If all he wanted was to apologize for calling Severus a disappointment (but why? He wasn't wrong), then he's done it and Severus doesn't want to talk about himself with Demitri anymore than he absolutely must. Demurely, he says, "If that's all, I'm terribly sorry, but I really need to be going. I've a classroom to clean up in preparation for summer hols in a few days."

His grandfather straightens in his seat a little, but relaxes almost immediately after and nods. "Yes, of course. I'm sure we'll talk again soon."

"Soon," concurs Severus.

Standing quickly and swinging his satchel over his shoulder, Severus all but flees from the classroom. The moment he steps past the doorway, Lily's on his right, clutching his arm to slow down his fast pace. "Sev," she says. "Look at me."

He does and almost immediately relaxes. There's real, honest concern in her green eyes. It reminds Severus why he loves Lily, why he always wished they could be more than friends. Someone so genuinely kind is a rarity in life and he wanted her and all her sweetness for himself.

"So? What did your grandfather want?" she inquires.

Severus answers, "He apologized for how he behaved when I last spoke to him."

A grin blooms on the Gryffindor's face. "That's greats!" she exclaims delightedly, only for the joy to fade as doubts begin to fill her mind. Hesitantly, Lily asks, "Was he… Did he seem genuine?"

Severus considers his grandfather's words. Then, he smiles. "Yes, he did."

Relief floods into Lily's bright eyes and she returns his smile. "How wonderful."

-O-

Unbeknownst to both Lily and Severus, Sage hides just around the corner with his back to the wall. When he hears Severus found Demitri's apology to be honest, he turns boneless and slides down the wall until he's in a sitting position. He runs a shakey, relieved hand through his fringe and gives thanks to the universe for getting Demitri to listen to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	71. Expanded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas :)

"Just because I'm going to spend a week with you after Narcissa's wedding doesn't mean you shouldn't write me and  _insist_ I visit before then, alright?" Sirius tells him with a grin that if he were not holding it up with the sheer force of will Severus knows would look more like a grimace. He sympathizes with his friend's plight. Severus can't say he's really all that thrilled about being home for the summer either. Neither of them is looking at a particularly restful holiday, unfortunately.

Even so, Severus plays along and smirks. "Subtle as always," he says, "I'll speak to Aunt Vesta and see if she'll be agreeable to a visit next week, alright?"

Sirius's eyes brighten. "Wicked! Bye, Severus!"

"Goodbye."

Lily, who's just finished her own curious farewell with Cresswell (what's going on between the two of them Severus is very interested to know), comes up next to him and asks, "So, I'll see you next week?"

He nods, thankful for her loudly proclaiming their "plan". Really, he'll be at Clara and Benjy's wedding – but no one is to know that. "Yes, Tuesday," replies he.

She meets his gaze with a smile. "Maybe Mum and Dad will let you spend the night."

Severus tilts his head at this, unsure what Lily is trying to get at.

"After all, if you're staying for dinner, what's the night?"

"Wh–" he stops abruptly. Oh.  _Oh._ Lily's phishing for him to actually visit her after Clara and Benjy's wedding. Mentally, he shrugs. Severus doesn't see the harm and it could potentially be the perfect time to ask about what Lily is doing with Cresswell exactly. "Perhaps," he agrees. "Mum will have to be alright with it."

Her smile broadens into a grin. "Brill!" she exclaims. Leaning in quickly, she presses a kiss to his cheek. "See you soon!" she concludes before hurrying off to find her parents and sister.

He shakes his head in amusement. Severus then looks back at where Sage waits patiently with their trunks. His brother perks up instantly. "Ready to find our mums?" he asks.

Severus nods, though, he can't stop the fretful thoughts brewing in the back of his mind. "Are you? Are you certain you don't want to say goodbye to Tuft?"

"Shut up," huffs Sage. "You know I had to break her heart last week."

With a roll of his eyes, Severus promises, "She'll bounce back. Next year, she'll be as friendly as ever." Taking his trunk from Sage, he remarks, "Which really might not be a bad thing."

His brother frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Severus doesn't say, instead, he turns back around and starts to lead them through the throngs of students and families to search for their mothers. Truthfully, however, Severus worries about Sage's lack of friendships. Yes, he and Lily get on and often do things without him, and on occasion, he's seen Sage and Regulus split off together to discuss Quidditch or to help each other study, but otherwise, his brother really hasn't seemed to form any bonds with anyone.

While he knows a few deeper friendships can be far more meaningful than a plethora of shallow ones (and Severus truly does know, thanks to the life he once lived), it still bothers him. Sage's friends are Severus's too and not all his own. He wonders if his brother relies on him too much and if he shouldn't be pushing him more to be someone outside of what Vesta and Boyd expect from him and being his brother.

It won't be long before Boyd is persuading him to start thinking about the Death Eaters and becoming one like him. While Severus wants more than anything to keep Sage away from Voldemort. With such conflicting requests coming from those closest to him, who's to say Sage won't agree to be a Death Eater to please Boyd and then say he has nothing to do with them to keep Severus happy?

And if Sage does do this, what will  _Severus_ do? The very thought of turning his back on Sage makes his stomach churn. He can't do that to Sage. Not his poor, young brother. Sage will realize his mistake soon enough if he does join and Severus wants to be there to help him escape. Or come as close to escaping as will be possible in the given circumstances.

When a man moves to welcome his daughter into his arm, Severus sees Aunt Vesta's profile and all his thoughts about Sage are boxed up and put away to unpack another day. Grabbing Sage's arm, he says, "That way!" and starts to shoulder through the people between them, Aunt Vesta, and his mother. A moment later, when they are finally standing in front of the two women, he freezes.

His mother looks better than when he left her. She's still a little too thin to be healthy and her skin is more pallid than he cares for, but her eyes are alive and focused on him. It's the most heartening sign he's seen yet for his mother's recovery (though, her letters, if a little short and infrequent have been good too). He lifts his lips in a closed-lip smile. "Hi, Mum."

"Why, you're my height now, aren't you?"

He looks at himself, then at her. "I suppose I am."

She opens her arms. "I hope you aren't too big to hug your mother?"

"Of course not," Severus replies, before walking into her arms.

-o-O-o-

Once the officiant finishes his part of the ceremony, Benjy slides Clara's wedding band down her finger to meet her engagement ring and stares adoringly into her eyes with a small smile. Quietly, he says to his new wife, "With this Ring I wed you, with my body I worship you, and with all my worldly goods I endow you: In the name of God, and joy, and enduring love. Amen."

Clara tilts her head, her expression of warm wonderment. "That's beautiful, Benjy," murmurs the young woman before leaning in to kiss her husband for the first time.

When their kiss turns into snogging, Bones mutters, "Oh, for Merlin's–" Only to stop and whistle loudly – which earns him a disapproving glare from Clara and Benjy's officiant.

A moment later, the newlyweds break apart. Faces flushed, they look at them abashed. "Sorry," says Benjy. "We got a little  _caught up,_ there."

"Yeah, we saw," Bones replies with a smirk. Teasingly he adds, "It's fine, we know we have nothing on that pretty face." He winks at Clara, who blushes harder and tries to hide it by turning her face into Benjy's neck.

Severus coughs to cover his laughter as Bones's girlfriend giggles outright.

Amused, Benjy agrees. "Quite right, Clarence. Your mug is nothing compared to my wife's."

Bones makes an exaggerated face of hurt and then guffaws. "So, should we start off for the pub to get a round of drinks to celebrate?"

"Clara?" inquires Benjy.

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she smiles. "Champagne and cake for everyone."

-O-

"Cheers!" Bones proclaims as the five of them toast their glasses above the small, white-frosted cake their waitress brought out for them only minutes earlier. After everyone's taken a moment to sip their champagne, Bones wraps an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and asks the newlyweds, "So, how does being married feel?"

The couple exchanges a glance, then they smile. "It's brilliant," answers Benjy.

Holding her champagne flute in both hands, Bones's girlfriend asks, "Did you two manage to find a place or will you be living in your parents' home for now?"

"We'll be staying at Granddad's, actually," Benjy says. "He's been a bit lonely since Nan died last winter."

Clara reaches for the serving knife and begins to cut into the cake, carefully dividing it into five even pieces in the process. "Lewis has been so lovely, he's insisted we take the master bedroom and took us shopping earlier this week for our very own bedroom set as a wedding gift to us." While handing out the slices of cake, Clara continues, "I wrote his daughter yesterday to ask for the recipes of his favorite meals so I can learn and cook them for him. It's really not enough to return all his kindness, but it's a start."

Benjy takes Clara's hand in his and threads their fingers together. "It's more than enough, love. He'll be without words when he realizes you went to all that trouble to learn to make his favorite things for him."

In between bites, Bones nods his head. "Yeah. It's the thought that counts, Clara. Benjy's granddad'll be delighted when he figures out what you're doing."

Clara starts to smile, happy and relieved to know not only her husband, but his best mate thinks she's doing enough to show her gratitude to her new grandfather-in-law, but it quickly runs away when a voice behind Severus says, "My, isn't this something? I can't believe you're showing your face in public after the shame you've brought to your family, Parkinson."

Severus's hand goes for his wand as he twists around to glare at Conrad Yaxley.

Calmly, Benjy tells the man, "It's  _Mrs. Fenwick_ and I suggest you watch how you talk to my wife."

Yaxley sneers at the younger man. "I'll talk to whoever I want however I please,  _halfbreed._ "

"Whoah!" Bones cries when Benjy jumps from his chair, wand pointed right at Yaxley.

Face void of all its typical jovialness, Benjy snarls, "Leave, Yaxley, before you end up with a mouth of roaches for teeth!"

"I won't have duelin' in my establishment!" the old, bug-eyed barman roars across the dining room. "Take it outside or I'm callin' the Aurors!"

Yaxley glares at Benjy with a hateful intensity. "You'll regret threatening me like that, Fenwick."

The younger man lifts his chin. "I don't think I will."

Putting on the black felt hat in his hand, Yaxley calls out to the barman, "I was just leaving. It's not as if I'd want to linger in an establishment that allows such…  _vermin_ to cross it's doorway anyway."

They, the staff, and the rest of the patrons watch with uneasy eyes as Yaxley walks out the pub's door. Unfortunately, with Yaxley goes their celebratory mood and no amount of bright, happy talk or champagne can regain the mood in the fallout. As he finishes off his second glass, Severus can't help but think it's such a shame Clara's wedding celebration has to end like this. Briefly, his thoughts stray to what her wedding may have been like in his first life, but he doesn't let his mind stay there long.

He imagines it likely wasn't much better.

-o-O-o-

Hours later, as Mrs. Evans puts another helping of carrots on his dinner plate, he says, "Thank you."

The woman smiles at him. "You're welcome."

"How is your mother, Severus?" Mr. Evans asks, side-eyeing Severus as he cuts up his pork chop.

Severus finishes drinking from his glass of milk and puts it down before he looks at Lily's father. "Well, thank you."

Lily who knows Severus's mother is not always a happy subject for him, changes the topic by inquiring, "What movie is it Petunia went to with James tonight?"

" _For a Few Dollars More_ ," Lily's mother replies, "it's a Western, I believe."

This draws a smile to both his and Lily's faces. "How do you think James will like the cowboys?"

"I'm sure he'll find them very gallant." She chuckles. "I'd watch out if I were you, I'm sure James will write Sirius all about the film when he gets home. He's going to want to see it too."

He sighs. "He will, won't he? Perhaps I should start planning something else for when he visits. Like a trip to Diagon Alley…"

"So you're all friends? You two, Sirius, and James? What house is Sirius? Is he a Slytherin like you, Severus?" Mrs. Evan questions, blue eyes big with curiosity.

Lily nods. "Yes, we all get along. Sirius is Gryffindor like me and James, though."

Mr. Evans pops the cap off his beer and downs half of it before he asks, "Is it typical for students to have so many friends from different houses?"

"Well, not exactly," Lily hedges.

Severus, finished with his dinner, puts down his fork and knife. "When you spend almost all of your time with those inside your own house, it only makes sense most of your friendships will be within your house as well. But it's not too odd to have a few mates outside your house."

"He does have Slytherin friends, like Sage, who I know I've told you about, then there's Sirius's little brother, Regulus, Scabior, and Clara–" Abruptly, Lily stops listing off people, and grins. "Oh, yes!" she exclaims, clapping her hands. "It completely slipped my mind. How was her wedding?"

" _Wedding_?" Lily's mother murmurs with shock.

Severus ignores the woman. For all intents and purposes, he's fifteen. It really shouldn't be such a surprise he has a friend or two old enough to marry. Though, it may be a surprise they  _are_ getting married. Eighteen is so young. 'But not during war…' he reminds himself.

"The wedding itself went well," he answers evasively.

Her smile falls a little. "Oh?"

"We ran into Yaxley at the pub afterward, but nothing went beyond words."

Lily shakes her head. "How dreadful."

"Who's Yaxley?"

Severus and Lily share a look before he tells Mrs. Evans. "A Slytherin graduate. He and Clara's brother are… associates."

"Does this Clara and her brother not get along?" Mr. Evans asks with a note of disapproval in his tone. Severus remembers how in his and Lily's first life he frowned and glowered much more than he does now – especially when Petunia and Lily were in the midst of spats with one another. He can see now that Mr. Evans is of the belief siblings ought to always get along and be friends. Life must be much more pleasant for all in the Evans home now that Petunia and Lily are so amicable with one another these days.

He sighs. "He and the rest of her family don't approve of who she decided to marry."

Lily's mother clucks her tongue. "What a shame!" Then, hesitantly, she questions, "Her husband… is he nice?"

"Benjy is wonderful," Lily assures. "He's got a job lined up in the Beast Division at the Ministry in the fall and he was a great backup beater for our Quidditch team."

"Then why…?"

Severus glances at Lily, she looks at a loss how to explain to her parents just how much blood matters to some in the world they spend most of their lives in. He wonders how she broke the news of the magical world hating her in their last lifetime to them. Or if she ever did. The Evans died so soon after he and Lily graduated Hogwarts. Severus had been too low in Voldemort's ranks to know much of anything at that point, but he does recall a rumor he heard during that time; one that said the Evans were killed by a band of senior Death Eaters after Lily and James turned down Voldemorts first offer to join his cause.

Quietly, he sighs and with carefully chosen words, Severus explains, "The Parkinsons are an old family in the wizarding world. The Fenwicks, not so much. They think their daughter could do better than Benjy."

Mr. Evans scowls. "Bloody twits, the lot of them. They're the only ones who are going to regret cutting her out of their family when the end comes for them."

Severus's eyebrows jump high on his forehead. So if your family is a bunch of classist assholes it's alright not to get on with them in Mr. Evans's mind. Tonight is teaching him far more about the man than he ever learned in the six years he spent around the man in his first go.

"Alan," Mrs. Evans hisses. She looks at Lily and Severus apologetically a moment (for what, though? The cursing? They're fifteen, he and Lily know far worse words) before she says, "Do give Clara our congratulations if you see her soon, Severus." Then, with a smile, she redirects their conversation by remarking, "I've been meaning to ask, we've been thinking about letting Lily get a familiar. She wants a cat, but I think one of those owls you all use might be more useful for her. What do you think?"

Lily scrunches her nose and Severus takes a breath as he tries to figure out how to be diplomatic and not offend either Lily or her mother. "From what  _I_ know…" he begins.

-O-

After dinner, Severus and Lily help Mrs. Evans with the dishes before they all go to the drawing room to watch the evening news with Mr. Evans. While her parents sit on the sofa, holding hands as they stare fixated at the telly, he and Lily sit on the rug laid out in front of the sofa, just out of the way of the television. They play Muggle card games and tease each other about who has the worst luck. About an hour later, Petunia walks in with James.

Severus and Lily get up to greet them and Mrs. Evans tells them she hid a plate of biscuits in the bread box if the four of them want a snack while James waits for one of his parents to come get him. They take Lily's mother up on her suggestion and go to the kitchen. They talk about the movie Petunia and James saw. James gets very animated as he describes every scene in minute detail – earning gooey eyes from Petunia as he does so.

It's partly amusing and mostly disgusting how very "in love" the two are. Thankfully, when Severus steals glances at Lily, she doesn't seem terribly bothered by her sister's sickly sweet eyes. She even seems to be enjoying herself as she pokes fun at some of the ways James tries to explain bits of the movie that he just doesn't understand thanks to his Pureblood upbringing. Soon enough, there's a knock at the Evans door and James hurries to his feet as Mr. Evans brings in Mr. Potter.

They all make small talk for a few more minutes before the Potters leave, at which point, Petunia says she's ready for bed and Mr. Evans says he and Mrs. Evans will be turning in too.

"Cynthia brought down a pillow and quilt for you," he tells Severus. Then, he points a finger at Lily and says, "You don't stay up too long now, understand? Your mother wants to take you and Pet to see her godmother after breakfast tomorrow."

Lily rolls her eyes playfully. "Yes, Daddy." Then, she goes forward and places a kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams, baby," he replies before leaving with Petunia for bed.

When they're gone, Lily looks expectantly at him. "Want to go sit outside in the garden for a bit? It'll be like old times."

Severus shrugs. It doesn't sound like a bad idea to him. It'll also offer them a little more potential privacy for when he brings up Cresswell. "Why not?" he agrees.

A minute later, they are outside sitting on the little bench kept beside the house's back door. They talk idly about nothing for a while longer. When silence comes, Severus seizes the moment.

"Lily, the other day, at King's Cross…" he lets his question fade away, realizing he's not sure this is how he wants to start this conversation.

She turns her head, green eyes glimmering with curiosity. "What about King's Cross?"

He pointedly looks away from her. "What exactly are you doing with Cresswell?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Lily frown as a stubborn set starts around the edge of her jaw. "…I don't know what you mean."

Whipping his head around to glare at her, he snaps, "Yes, you do!"

She sighs. "Severus, do we really have to do this now?"

"When would you like to discuss it then? Tomorrow? After I catch the two of you snogging in our classroom next year?"

"It's not like that!" she decries, rising to a stand.

He gets to his feet as well and raises an eyebrow at his friend. "Oh?"

She opens her hands to him in a gesture of helpless honesty and says, "Look, I'm not going to lie to you. Maybe it will be like that later. What he's going through isn't all that different from what I'm dealing with." She brings her arms up to hug herself and explains, "It's… Comforting to have someone to talk to who understands your situation so well. Dirk is nowhere near ready for a relationship, however. He's still grieving for Mei. If I'm being truthful with you, I'm still not quite ready myself. James is still on my mind a lot."

He is quiet a moment. Then, he mumbles, "Not all that long ago you wanted to be with me."

"And you said no because the reasons I wanted to be with you weren't right," Lily replies.

"Are the reasons Cresswell wants to be with you any better?" he asks.

Lily makes a noise of exasperation and throws her hands up. "Why are you doing this?" she yells. "Why are you trying to ruin something that could make me happy?"

'Because I hoped if I gave you more time to get over James you'd still want to be with me,' feels like the wrong thing to say. Instead, Severus shrugs.

Lily crosses her arms and narrows her eyes. "That is not an answer, Severus Snape."

He opens and shuts his mouth, the leaden weight of defeat settling over him. "I thought–" he shakes his head. "I'm sorry. I was being a dunderhead. I do want you happy, I just…" he trails off

"What?" she demands sharply. When he doesn't answer, she closes her eyes and rubs her temples a moment. When she opens them again, her eyes are a lot gentler. "You're my best friend, Sev. I know whatever your reason for bringing it up, it isn't from a bad place."

"But it is," Severus refutes. "I'm being horribly selfish."

She frowns, confused. "How?"

Severus hesitates for a moment before he takes a step forward and covers Lily's lips with his own. Severus starts to fear the worst when she doesn't return the kiss, but then her hands come to clutch the back of his shirt and bring him closer. Severus slides one arm around her waist and tangles his other hand in her thick, wavy locks.

As their kiss draws on, Severus shifts the arm around Lily's waist so he can slide his hand under her shirt and brush the soft skin beneath. Lily makes a noise of pleasure and tilts her head a little before she parts her lips and slips her tongue into his own open mouth. As Severus's hand edges higher and higher up Lily's torso, his shirt grows ever taut around his shoulders from the strength of her grip. Soon, his fingers reach the front-clasp of Lily's bra. While he fiddles with clip, Lily gives a kittenish moan and her hands slip down to his hip to press him closer to her. But when Severus finally undoes the clasp and his thumb grazes over one of Lily's budding nipples, she abruptly pulls away.

For a moment, he stares into her wide, dilated eyes. Then Lily drops her gaze to her feet and says, "We can't. This is my parents'  _garden_. Merlin! What if one of them gets up to get a glass of water and realizes you're not sleeping on the couch?"

"Right," he says, body still yearning to hold her (and more).

Lily glances at him. "That was – it was really nice."

"Are you still thinking of Cresswell?"

His friend bites her lip. "He's not ready for a relationship. I – I don't think I could do anything serious right now, but…" Lily shyly reaches for his hand and takes it in her own to squeeze tightly. "Something a little more casual and closer to friendship doesn't sound too bad right now."

Severus doesn't think he knows how to have a relationship like the one Lily describes. He's always either been an all in or all out sort of man. Severus realizes this could turn into a disaster if they're not careful, yet with her so close and so willing to be  _something_ with him, he can't find it in himself to refuse. This is nearly a childhood dream come true for Severus.

"I think I'd like that," he tells her in a quiet, demure murmur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	72. Expanded: II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those familiar with the other stories of the Rubble Flower 'verse, I'd like you to take special note of the last two scenes. They are a lead-in to one of the connected stories. I'm sure you'll have little trouble figuring out which ;)

"Severus!"

He turns his head in the direction of the kitchen doorway, preparing to call back to his mother as soon as he swallows his mouthful of biscuit when she appears.

Her eyes solely on him, she smiles. "Severus–" she starts, only to stop when she sees Sirius sitting across the kitchen table from him. Her smile falters slightly. "Ah, I see you have company."

Finished with the biscuit in his mouth, he says, "Hi, Mum."

"Mrs. Snape, it's nice to see you," Sirius adds in politely as he takes two more biscuits from the serving plate in the middle of the table.

His mother folds her hands in front of her skirts and dips her head in greeting at Severus's friend. "Hello, Sirius, you look well."

Before his mother and Sirius are pulled into a stream of niceties, Severus cuts in, "What is it you wanted, Mum?"

She blinks at him. "Oh, it's not that important." She starts to position herself away from them as she adds, "I can take you another day."

His curiosity piqued, he shifts around in his chair so his torso is facing his mother fully as he asks, "Take me where?"

"Yeah, take him where?" Sirius chimes in, putting his elbows on the table so he can lean in and hear his mother's soft voice better. "Is it exciting?"

The woman's lips twitch with a small, amused smirk. "It depends on your definition of exciting."

Severus groans and rolls his eyes at his mother. "Mum, stop teasing us." Then, imperiously, he demands, "Where is it you're going?"

"Watch that tone," she rebukes with a brief furrowing of her brows. "I'm your mum."

In response, he ducks his head to feign contriteness.

Now appeased, Severus's mother explains, "I've been looking through properties deeds your grandfather has and found one I thought would make a good home for us." Eyes turning distant, she gestures the size of the place with her hands as she tells them, "It's a little cottage out in Scotland that your grandmother brought into her marriage with your grandfather. I think the MacDougals used to stay at it from time to time when they went hunting in the area."

Severus considers this information. By apparation, it could take a while to get there depending on how far into Scotland this cottage is, but if they can travel another, faster way, they'd have no trouble going up there a few hours. It's not as if the Blacks expect Sirius home until dinner. "Is it connected to the floo system?"

"Yes, I made sure to have it connected after the last time I visited."

"Then I don't see why we can't see it today," he replies. Turning his attention to his friend, Severus asks, "What do you say, Sirius? Want to see the cottage?"

The teenager's eyes spark with pleasure – which really isn't a surprise. Sirius is always up for an adventure, even for one as mundane as visiting a cottage in Scotland. "Sure!" he exclaims.

His mother flashes them a grin. "Lovely," she replies. "Up you get then, lads. Find your robes, I'd like if we could leave in the next ten minutes!"

-O-

He turns in a tight circle in the middle of the entryway. With the open floor plan, he can see everything, the kitchen on his right with its outdated appliance and the half-open door by its picture window which leads to the mudroom and the house's back door. On his left is the tiny drawing room and the corner staircase leading up to the second floor where his mother says their bedrooms and the loo lay.

Once finished with his inspection, Severus turns back to his hopeful-faced mother and says, "It's small." He looks out the drawing room's bay window and to the large green expanses outside. 'And isolated,' he thinks to himself.

"Yes, but it'll just be me here most of the year," she replies patiently. "So, it's perfect."

He frowns. Severus can't say why, but he doesn't like the sound of that. His mother really hasn't lived alone in years. And not only will she be living in this cottage alone, she will be living in the Scottish countryside all alone. Her nearest neighbor is several kilometers away. "You should get a dog to keep you company when I'm not home," he tells her.

She laughs. "Is this a sideways request for a puppy?" his mother teases Severus. "I remember when you were little you tried the same, though, then you said we should get a dog to protect the house…"

Severus doesn't remember asking for a puppy. He does an owl once he started at Hogwarts – not that it matters. He never got one. Or the puppy, it seems. He has no doubts about who's to blame for that. Bloody Dad, always pissing away any extra money they had on pints at the pub. "No," he replies with a note of indignation.

The woman playfully puts a hand on her hip and asks, "What would you even want? A spaniel? Like the one Lily's neighbors have that you kids used to play with when you were little?"

"I was thinking something bigger," he answers, mind's eye filling with images of the sharp, regal malinois Igor Karkaroff owned in Severus's last life. "Like a Shepherd."

She shakes her head. "That's too big," she says, "I might consider a setter." Eyes distant and head tilting wistfully, she tells them, "The owner of the pub I worked at before I met your father had one. She was a sweet girl."

"How about a retriever? They're not much larger and are supposed to be very friendly," Severus offers. He thinks a setter might be a bit too small to intimidate people who shouldn't be near his mother's cottage.

"You should!" shouts Sirius, butting right into the middle of their conversation as he comes down the stairs two at a time. "I know exactly who you can get one from too. You know the Fawcett family? I don't think any are at Hogwarts right now, they all graduated a year or two before we started, Severus, but I hear one or two of them breed flatties."

"The Fawcetts…" Severus's mother mutters. For a moment, she looks utterly confused and Severus starts to worry. What if what he and Demitri did to her over Christmas has begun to affect other memories? Oh, Merlin– But as quickly as the confusion overcame her features it leaves, replaced with recollection. "Ah, yes. I went to school with two brothers and a sister. The boys were Ravenclaws and one spent a lot of time trying to get a dormmate of mine to go out with him." She sighs and puts a hand on her cheek. "I can't say the poor lad succeeded."

Severus huffs a breath of irritation when his mother fails to say anymore. "So? Will you get one?"

She nods. "I'll talk to your Aunt Vesta and see if she doesn't know anyone who can help me get in contact with them."

"Thank you, Mum," he replies, smiling with relief. He hopes she can get her hands on a flattie – or any dog, really – without too much trouble. If his mother is truly going to live in this cottage on her own, he'll worry much less about her if he knows she has a daily companion, even if it's furry and about as smart as a toddler.

-o-O-o-

Sitting criss-cross in the middle of his bed, Severus flips idly through some of books he pulled from late Uncle Iain's study last night after he woke up from a nightmare (memory). There's nothing especially interesting in any of these Defense books he picked, most of it's familiar knowledge, even. But perhaps that's why he keeps reading. It's comforting reviewing something he knows.

Turning another page, he brings a fist up to his eye and knuckles it. He's tired, but the light glinting off Nagini's curved, lethal teeth still appears to Severus whenever he lays down and closes his eyes. Sighing quietly to himself as the words on the page begin to blur together, Severus starts to contemplate finding something else to do. Maybe take a stroll through the Montagues' gardens? As he gets up and starts to pile Uncle Iain's books into one hand, Severus contemplates other possible activities that could induce sleep.

Once finished gathering the books, he starts in the direction of his bedroom door when it swings open to reveal the fresh, well-rested face of his brother.

"Mum's out of the house for the day," he tells Severus giddily. "She's gone to have tea with some friends near Leeds."

"Mmm…" he replies as he changes direction for his desk. Nudging the Pensieve to the side a little, he puts down the stack of books. He can return them to the study later. Sage looks like he has a plan for the day and Severus is quite hopeful it will tire him out so he can sleep easy tonight. "So's mine," he says, "she went to Demitri's to look at some of the furniture he has stored in his attic."

Sage nods his head. "Yes, I know. I was thinking, if you want, we could tell Topper to go help your mother out by cleaning the cottage and then invite Lily over?"

Severus cocks his head and stares at his brother as if bat bogeys have just begun to fly out of the teenager's nose. "Have you gone mad?" he demands. "If Aunt Vesta finds out you invited Lily into our home she's going to lock you away in your room for the rest of the summer."

"I know, but I want to show Lily the gardens in back. We've talked about them a few times at school and she's said she wishes she could see them."

The incredulity Severus feels only increases tenfold. Slowly, like he's talking to a troll (or an imbecile), he reiterates his brother's words, "…You… want… to… invite her over to show off some  _flowers_?"

Sage nods. Then, after a moment of hesitation asks in a mumbled jumble, "D'you think she could invite that Ravenclaw she was talking to on the platform to come with her?"

"What?" Severus gapes at his brother, utterly baffled. "Why would you want Cresswell to–" he stops himself as realization dawns on him like a cresting wave. Right, his brother likes  _boys_. Frowning now, he warns Sage, "You know, I think he only has eyes for girls." Well,  _one_ girl, anyhow.

Cheeks red, the teenager grumbles, "You don't know that with total certainty, do you, though?"

He sighs. "No, but–"

"Please?" Sage cuts in, making his eyes wide and hopeful, pushing out his lower lip ever so slightly. Severus can see now he's picked up something from being around Sirius, that pathetic look is all him. Severus starts to grind his teeth, annoyed to realize Sage is taking on bad habits like  _this_ from Severus's friends. "He could still make a nice mate if nothing else."

Severus is quiet for a moment. This could very well be a disaster if he agrees – even more of a disaster than whatever he and Lily are doing. There's  _no chance_ for Sage and Cresswell. Yet… How is he going to learn this if Severus doesn't let him try? And perhaps he's right, Cresswell could be a good mate for Sage. For all that's wrong with Cresswell, he's not a complete dunderhead and then there's the fact he's not a pureblood like Sage… He wonders if his brother knows this. "You do know he's a Muggleborn, don't you?" he inquires.

Sage averts his gaze. "I… I suspected, yeah."

Severus sighs again. "I'm not promising, but I'll try, alright?"

A bright smile overtakes his brother's face as he leaps at Severus to hug him. "Thank you, Severus!"

-O-

When she steps out of his hearth, her eyes begin to glitter the moment they find his own. "Hello, Sev."

"Lily," he returns, a smile curving his lips. He then takes both her hands in his own and leans in close to place a kiss on her cheek. She's blushing when he pulls back. He can't help the way his smile twists into a smirk.

Cresswell, who stands a little off to the side behind Lily, raises an eyebrow at them, but otherwise doesn't let on he knows things have changed between Severus and Lily. "So… We're here," he says instead.

"You are," replies Severus. "Sage mentioned you wanted to look at Aunt Vesta's garden, Lily, shall we all go see it?"

Sage, who's stopped looking at his feet, and is now glancing shyly at Cresswell now and again asks, "Afterwards, maybe we can fly around for a bit? We have enough brooms in the shed."

"Alright," agrees Cresswell sounding truly interested in the suggestion. "What kind of brooms do you have? Comets? Cleansweeps?"

"Two of each, actually," answers Sage. "Boyd always liked Cleansweeps best, but, like my father, I'm a Comet fan."

Cresswell grins. "That's wicked! Comets are my favorite too – for now, anyway."

Sage appears a bit puzzled by this remark (no surprise there, it's not like he knows Nimbus brooms are around the corner for him), but nods anyway before falling into easy conversation about the merits of Comets over Cleansweeps with Cresswell. While the two are absorbed in their discussion, Severus leans in close to Lily and whispers in her ear, "How have you gotten Cresswell not only to come here, but to be pleasant?"

"I promised to do all of his Herbology assignments next year. He really hates the subject and, well, I don't."

He chuckles. It seems a bit much for Lily to be promising for one afternoon of pleasantness from Cresswell, but if Lily thinks it's worth it, who is Severus to complain? She's doing it as much for Sage as she is for him, after all. "They seem to really be getting on," he says.

Lily looks back at the two. Severus joins her in staring a moment later. Sage is gesturing a little, he's so animated by the topic. It's nice seeing him that way with someone other than himself or Boyd. "They do." She reaches for his hand, smiling. "It's nice, isn't it? Hopefully Dirk doesn't act like a wanker the next time we're all together, because I think it Sage will be thinking of him as a mate by then."

"Yes, you're right." Severus casts one last glance at the two. "A talk might be in order."

She squeezes his fingers. "Another day, though. Things are so nice and I want it to end on a good note."

"You're right," he agrees. Severus smirks a moment before teasingly adding, "As always."

The girl grins back blithely. "I'm glad you've finally figured  _that_ out!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	73. Expanded: III

In the end, the Malfoys fail to find a solution where they can have Severus there for the entire wedding. However, Regulus does come up with a way for Severus to be at the reception to help with Sirius-wrangling. He offers to be a sort of sacrificial lamb and "sneak" in Severus. Narcissa and Lucius, who see this is the closest they will get to what they want, are happy to agree to Regulus's plan. Severus, though, has some reservations.

Privately, he sends the boy a letter and reminds Regulus his parents will hex his hind when they find out. Even as he tells the boy this, he adds he will agree to the plan if Regulus is truly alright with the fallout. Regulus insists he is. He wants the reception to go well for the sake of his cousin's happiness and that means Severus ought to be there to entertain Sirius and for Narcissa to see and speak to if she should have the time and inclination. Even after Regulus's assurance, Severus still considers a bit more if he really wants to have a part in what's surely going to happen to Regulus when his parents see Severus at the reception.

The boy is nearly fifteen. That really isn't so old all things considered, but Regulus is grown enough to reason and weigh consequences against rewards. If he thinks it will be worth it… Who is Severus to say he's wrong? Who knows better than the Black spare, after all? A decision reached, Severus sends a folded piece of parchment by an owl with his answer:

_Regulus,_

_Very well, I will be a part of this plan._

_I will see you at the wedding next week._

_Severus_

-o-O-o-

Stepping through the Malfoy's floo, Severus dips his head in greeting at the two smiling Blacks while he shakes the dust off his robes. "'Lo," he says.

"You're here!" exclaims Sirius. "It's been so  _dull_. Come on, you need to be with us when we steal the platter of salmon bites Kreacher is carrying around so we can eat them all as we make fun of everyone who's being a pompous blowhard!"

That sounds like a dreadful idea. Is it possible Sirius could have thought of a quicker way to draw everyone's attention to the interloper in their midsts? Well, yes, Severus supposes. The teenager could have suggested he drag Severus out to the middle of the ballroom to dance with some poor girl he snags along the way (or perhaps with Sirius himself). He raises an eyebrow at Regulus, looking for his opinion on his brother's idea.

The younger smiles, but his eyes have a pleading edge that's definitely begging Severus to please redirect Sirius's enthusiasm to something a little less attention-grabbing. Putting on an expression of contemplation, Severus remains quiet a moment. Then, he says, "Stealing the platter sounds like a wicked idea. But how about we explore some of the Malfoy Manor instead? Have you spent much time here before? If this is going to be where you spend your time during breaks in the next few years, it might be worth it to get a sense of the place before you're living here."

Regulus visibly relaxes as Sirius's feature turn thoughtful. "Yeah, alright," he agrees. "Should we start with the gardens? 'Cissa went on and on about them after Lucius proposed to her there."

He nods and the three of them set off for the ballroom. Once there, they keep to the edges of the room, looking for Kreacher and his plate of salmon bites. As they do, he takes in the other guests. He sees the likes of Yaxley, who is speaking with the Parkinsons (Severus makes sure to keep his head down as they pass them, not wanting Yaxley to recognize him and start a scene about his presence at Clara's wedding), a little while later he spies the Greengrass girls' grandparents holding hands and watching their son dancing with the witch who will one day be his wife.

As they weave around the table holding the wedding cake, he's confronted with a gaggle of Carrows, all wearing varying expressions of boredom and contempt as they slowly eat small plates of appetizers. A little later Severus notices old man Nott, two glasses of wine in hand, but alone. Severus suspects they're both his and it's a sign of a problem that explains why he had his son so much later than his peers. As they begin their second circle of the ballroom, he sees Augustus Rookwood and his wife. Briefly, he wonders if Priscilla is here too. He looks for the Hufflepuff, but does not spy her, though, he spots her parents talking with Lucius's father, Abraxas.

They look little alike, but he's quite sure there's a distant relation between the Rookwoods and Malfoys, which would explain their appearance at the wedding.

"Where did that bloody elf go?" Sirius grumbles next to him as he cranes his neck to peer over the heads of several ladies. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus notices an ajar door just a little bit ahead of them. Perhaps it's just a nosey curiosity, but he feels the urge to investigate why and what may be in the room.

He puts a hand on Sirius's arm. "Perhaps we should split up to look?"

"Where will we meet up afterward?"

He looks around. Severus knows exactly where the Malfoy's gardens are – not that he can say so. "Where are the gardens?" he asks.

"Just that way, actually," Regulus replies, pointing to an adjoining corridor that Severus knows leads to a pair of french doors that enter into the garden.

"In fifteen minutes, shall we all meet at the doors?" he questions.

The Black brothers agree with little trouble. Sirius offers to go right as Regulus says he will go poke around in some of the larger groups of people to see if Kreacher has hidden himself in their midsts. Severus nods at their words and tells them he will finish the loop they were in the middle of. Everything settled, they split up.

Not even a minute later, Severus slips through the space left by the ajar door. Upon entering, what he first spies is a table laden with gifts. They are of all sizes and shapes, wrapped in colorful paper and silken ribbons. Severus really isn't a materialistic person by any means, but he does move closer to investigate them a little more thoroughly. He's actually quite interested to see if he can't guess what it is the Malfoys' guests bought them. After all, what could newlyweds from such rich, old families possibly need?

As Severus picks up a gift to get an idea of its heft, a voice from behind calls, "What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing?"

He spins around to see Priscilla Rookwood standing in the half-open doorway, expression one of incredulous distaste. Hastily, Severus sets down the present in his hands, only to knock over a deep verdant giftbag. Out of it slips a worn black leather diary. His heart stops. Severus knows  _exactly_ what that is and  _exactly_ how dangerous it is too.

"We need to get this out of here."

Rookwood's nose scrunches. "What?"

He points at the diary. "That, is a horcrux."

"Really?" she murmurs. She glances back a moment, then pushes the door almost entirely closed behind her before coming to stand next to him. "It doesn't  _look_ any different from an ordinary diary."

He nods. "They rarely do. It's what they  _do_ to people that makes it obvious."

"…Can't you just pocket it?"

Severus shakes his head. "I'm not even supposed to be at this reception. If I hide it on my person, I'll just be asking for trouble."

"What if I take it instead? I could owl it to you tomorrow."

He looks at her, disbelieving. It can't be this easy. Nothing is ever this easy. What does Rookwood get out of this? What does she want in return? He narrows his eyes at the other and asks, "What do you want?"

Rookwood's gaze is steady as she answers, "What you already promised, your help in saving my family."

Severus frowns. He has promised that, hasn't he? He will do it too. Though, he thinks he ought to clarify his offer to her a tad. "I can't guarantee their lives, but I can promise I'll do my best." He pauses a moment, then says, "You do understand that by taking my help it means you will also end up going against the Lord and your family to some degree, don't you?"

She nods. Then, she shrugs. "I never really cared about the Lord himself. I was glad  _someone_ was fighting for our traditions and way of life, but I don't need him to be our champion. In fact, I think I would prefer someone else who actually cares about the lives of their followers. I lost nearly all of them, you know. In the first war, it was my father and mother, in the next war, my uncle, grandparents, husband, father-in-law, nephews, a niece… My son." Her hands now balled into small, hard fists, she whispers, "We gave and gave but not once did we ever get anything in return but grief."

He doesn't know what to say to that. Severus thinks if he apologized he wouldn't sound sorry at all. The Rookwoods were a mean lot and the Crabbes a bunch of brutes; Severus doesn't feel the least bit sad they nearly all ended up dead. Instead, he clears his throat and tells her, "I will give it to you to hold onto for now, but I will be owling you first thing tomorrow to ask for it back. If I don't have it in my hands by the evening, I will find you and make you wish you had followed through on your promise."

Rookwood scoffs at his threat before she wriggles her fingers expectantly at him.

With great reluctance, Severus hands over the diary. Then, he asks, "Do you have a napkin or something equally unimportant on your person?"

"Why?" she questions, brows furrowing together.

He gestures to the still sideways giftbag. "To hide that we have stolen it. Can you imagine what the Lord will do when he finds out it went missing and the Malfoys never received it?"

Dark eyes wide, she nods. "Just–" she mutters before she starts to root in her pockets. A moment later she pulls out a bottle of ink. "Here."

Severus wastes no time transfiguring the ink into a replica of the diary. Placing it back in the now right-side-up bag, he ensures it looks well-placed among the other presents before he nods and steps back. Now he just has to pray no one notices.

"I've got to go," he tells her. "Sirius and Regulus will be wondering where I've gone." Severus passes Rookwood and takes hold of the edge of the door. However, just as he's to pull it open so he can slip back out, a thought comes to him. He turns his head and looks at the Hufflepuff. "Why did you come in here?" he asks.

Rookwood's eyes flicker to the door. "I'm not much of a party person," she replies. "I reckoned no one would notice if I hid in here for a bit."

Severus still isn't sure how much he can take Rookwood at her word, but it sounds reasonable enough to his ears. He never did see her at many large get-togethers in their last life – not that he showed up to many either. "Right," he says. "I'll be waiting for your owl tomorrow."

"Mmhmm," she hums as she moves away from the door to go sit in one the gift table's chairs. He watches a moment as she pulls a tiny red diary and quill from the pocket of her gown.

That explains why she was carrying an inkwell on her person. He wonders what it is she's doing. Writing? Drawing? Something else entirely? Severus reminds himself it doesn't matter and that the Black brothers are waiting for him. Shaking his head once, he slips out of the room.

As Severus makes a beeline for the garden doors, he's brought to a halt when Narcissa and Lucius all but apparate in front of him. He stares at the couple. He has to admit, Narcissa makes a gorgeous bride in her long, cloying dress with its shimmery, intricate silver embroidery that one could spend hours studying. Lucius compliments her well in his dark blue dress robes and silver tie. No matter the reality, they find ways to show they are a team; equals who will demand the same respect from all. If one is snubbed or talked down to, both will cease any relationship with the offending party.

To show he understands this, he dips his chin at each of them individually. "Hello," he says.

Narcissa smiles. "I thought I spotted you earlier."

"We've been looking for Kreacher," he admits.

She reaches out to take his hand. "I'm so glad you agreed to come."

"It felt rude not to after all the plotting you and Regulus put in."

The new bride laughs. Lucius, however, sighs. "Where  _is_ Regulus? And that brother of his?" he asks a moment later, looking past Severus to search the crowds.

"The garden doors," Severus answers. "That's where we are all to meet after one of us manages to steal Kreacher's platter of appetizers."

Narcissa's smile widens. "Ah, that's a good choice. The gardens are just so lovely; you can spend hours just walking through them. Really, Severus, thank you for coming. I hate to imagine the mischief Sirius would be up to right now without you."

Politely, Severus deflects, "I'm sure Regulus would have managed somehow."

Lucius snorts.

Severus and Narcissa ignore him.

"Again, thank you. It's been lovely seeing you again, but we must be moving on. There are so many guests to thank for coming!" She links arms with her new husband and with a little wave, calls, "Ta!" As she vanishes back into the midst of her party.

He watches on a moment as the newlyweds glide between guests, making brief conversation with them before moving onto the next. For all their faults, they always have made impeccable hosts. Once satisfied, he continues onto the gardens.

-o-O-o-

Severus wakes to a tapping on his window. For a moment, he squeezes his eyes shut even tighter. Then, he opens them and swings his legs out of bed. Ambling over to the window, he blinks at the unfamiliar owl. He looks it over and realizes there's a thin, rectangular package attached to its leg.

'The diary…'

Without preamble, he swings open the window and unattaches the diary from the owl. Reaching into the dish he keeps full of owl treats beside the window, he takes one out and feeds it to the bird. "Thank you," he says to it.

The owl hoots once before flying off with its treat. He unwraps the diary and inspects it to ensure it's the real thing. Once satisfied, he puts it in the bottom drawer of his desk beneath a pile of parchment. Severus will need to find a better hiding place later, but, for the moment, it will do. As he goes to close his window, he sees that there is a letter sitting on the sill he didn't notice before.

Curiously, he picks it up and opens it.

_Snape,_

_Here's the diary; you didn't even have to ask me for it first, I may add. You're welcome, by the way._

_Priscilla Rookwood_

_p.s. What are you going to do with the diary now? What_ can  _be done with it?_

That is the question, isn't it? What is Severus going to do with the diary? None of his faux Basilisk poisons have compared to the actual venom. He can't destroy it, not here, not now. He begins to shake as a feeling of panic starts to overwhelm him. There is a very strong possibility he's going to have to face off against the Basilisk hidden in the Chamber of Secrets and hope he can extract enough poison from the beast to use on this horcrux and all of the rest.

Merlin, could he imagine a better Hell?


	74. Expanded: IV

Severus and Aunt Vesta are not able to convince his mother that moving to Scotland is a poor idea. With a stubborn frown that Severus knows he wears just as often as his mother, she perseveres. By July's end, the house has been thoroughly cleaned, repainted, and new appliance placed in the kitchen and secondhand furniture from Demitri fills the cottage. All that it is missing is the flattie she promised she would get.

But it won't be for much longer, the Fawcetts, who breed the dog, had a litter mid-June that will be ready to go to homes in another week. Severus is quite relieved it won't be just himself and his mother in the tiny house for too long. A dog really isn't much of a buffer, but they need walks and time outside, don't they? If the house ever begins to feel cramped or suffocating, he can just take the flattie pup out and breathe in the Scottish countryside. There, out in the green grazing pastures and among barley, he can remind himself his return to Hogwarts is not far away at all.

In spite of all of the ways Severus tries to soothe himself, promise himself it won't be so terrible living alone with his mother, he can't squash the gnawing, stomach-churning fear that this will  _not_ be okay. The worry everything will go back to what it was like before he removed his mother's memories. Perhaps she'll find another unhealthy fixation and drive herself mad on that. Maybe without Aunt Vesta around to pester her about her comings and goings, the people she sees and talks with, she'll keep everything going on in her life to herself and he'll come home for winter hols to find that she's found a new man who's just as abusive as his dad to shack up with.

Severus quakes at the thought. He drops the quill he is trying to write with on the desk and buries his face in his hands. Merlin, he can't think like this. His mother is getting  _better_. She won't do something so  _stupid_. Severus is pulled abruptly from his doubts when a knock sounds at his bedroom door.

"Come in," he calls from behind his hands.

In steps Sage, his pale face somber and flinty eyes assessing. "Are you really going to move with your mum tomorrow?"

He looks up at his brother, furrowing his brows with incredulity. "Yes," he answers, "what choice do I have?"

Sage's expression turns into one of frustration. "You always have a choice. If you don't want to move, you don't have to."

"Sure," he replies. "But you know just as well as I how  _that_ will go over."

The teenager falters a moment. Then, hesitantly, he asks, "I could tell her for you if you don't want to move?"

"No, don't," he tells Sage. "I do want to move with Mum. Really." He looks away. "I just… I'm worried." Quieter, to himself, he murmurs, "So very worried."

He jolts when he feels his brother's hand settle on his shoulder. "Maybe I could come stay with you and Aunt Eileen for a few days?" Gaze searching, he inquires, "Do you think that will help you? To not be alone with her so soon?"

Severus should be able to handle this on his own. He's a man, even if he looks like a half-grown child. He's gone through so much worse alone than this, yet… He brings a hand up to grip Sage's with his own. "Mum did mention my bed is a trundle."

Sage grins, all tension melting away from his contours. Severus returns the smile with a small upturn of his own lips. Briefly, he wonders if Sage has been just as fearful of what life alone with his mother will be like as Severus has with been with his. Perhaps Sage is asking just as much for himself as he is for Severus if he really needs to move.

If so, he can't find it in himself to be upset. He's terribly fond of his brother these days. He's been having trouble imagining life without Sage so close to him too.

-o-O-o-

With Sage there to keep him company, his first week at the cottage goes very well. They spend a lot of time playing chess and cards in the little drawing-room and when his mother tires of listening to their games from where she reads and writes in the kitchen between meals and errands, she shoos them outside to explore. There's really not much in the way of hidden gems to find outside, but the fields around the home are big and Severus's mother promises it won't be long at all before a concealment charm and Muggle-repellent expert is by to strengthen the old spells on the cottage and set up new ones so he and Sage can start flying brooms around their new home.

Severus wonders why she didn't have it done beforehand, but then it seems a number of little things slipped his mother's mind as she was preparing their home. Things like curtains for the windows, a food dish for the dog they will soon have, updating their address with the Ministry so official mail will come to them at the cottage, rather than at Aunt Vesta's. He does his best not to think too hard about these things. They're easy enough tasks to fall through the cracks in a move and it's not a sign of anything more nefarious (even so, his fingers itch to write his grandfather, ask if he's noticed changes in the letters he knows they exchange).

When it comes time to retrieve their new puppy Severus asks his mother beforehand if he may invite others by in a couple of days to meet the pup once it's settled in. His mother smiles at him and brings a hand up to push his hair out of his face. "That's a lovely idea. We can have your aunt, grandfather, Boyd, and his wife come by too."

He does want Aunt Vesta and Boyd to meet the puppy, but he has reservations about everyone coming all at once. "If I invite Lily, they might not want to come," he reminds her.

She purses her lips at his remark and says, "They will if they know what is good for them."

The words make Severus terribly uneasy. A new rift between his mother and her family is the last thing he wants – especially not over something as silly as having a friend by the cottage to meet their new dog. "Please, Mum," he begs, "if they don't want to come, don't make them. It's fine if they'd rather come on another day."

"It's not," the woman rebukes. "But that's not something you should be fretting about. I'm the parent, not you. I will handle it."

Severus bites his tongue almost hard enough to bleed and sends a silent prayer to whoever may be listening for this not to be the start of a second estrangement between his mother and her family.

-o-O-o-

Much to his surprise, his mother does manage to convince the Montagues (except for Violet, who has a previous engagement with her mother and sister-in-law) and Demitri to come and meet Severus and his mother's new flattie, Ichabod, at the same time as his guests. In spite of having a fair idea of who will and who will not come even before he sends off his invitations, Severus is surprised by who all shows up. Like he expected, it's just Sirius who makes an appearance from the Black family, as Regulus is grounded for sneaking Severus into his cousin's reception. Soon after his entrance, both Lily and Petunia come with James tagging along so he can spend the afternoon with 'Tuney and Sirius, by extension of him being there too.

For a time after that, Severus, Sirius, the Evans girls, James, and Sage play Exploding Snaps beneath one of the yard's bigger shade-trees. As they are finishing their third round, his mother calls for him to come greet his latest guests with her.

"Should we wait for you to come back?" Sage asks as he gets up.

He shakes his head. "No, play without me. You can take over for me until I get back."

His brother nods his head and goes on to add Severus's cards with his own while Severus joins his mother in the cottage to say hello to their latest guests. He is initially confused when he sees the Jones family; as Mr. Jones is holding an unfamiliar baby in his arms. Surely one of the girls would have mentioned the baby before if it is a sibling? Before he can even start to ask, however, Mrs. Jones is quick to apologize for the addition; explaining the infant, who appears to be not quite a year old, is Mr. Jones niece, Gwenog. Her mother took unexpectedly ill in the morning and she and the baby's father are at St. Mungo's for the day.

Severus's mother smiles politely and tells them, "It's quite alright, everything can't always go according to plan. Here, why don't you and your husband come sit outside with my cousin, Vesta. You know her, yes? I'm sure she'll be happy to catch up while I get you two tea."

Mr. and Mrs. Jones relax at the reassurance and gratefully take Severus's mother up on her offer as Gwendolyn and Hestia run off to meet Ichabod. He goes to join the girls for a time, showing them how to pet the puppy kindly and Ichabod's favorite pastime, fetch. Hardly before Severus finishes throwing the stick a second time for Ichabod, his mother comes out of their home with a trio of little girls crowded behind her.

He furrows his brows a moment, wondering who they are, when Scabior comes trailing out after the group, frowning at a little boy he's holding hands with. When he sees Severus's less than welcoming gaze, he ducks his head. Before Severus can do anything, Ichabod is nuzzling his knee, the stick he went to fetch between his milk teeth.

Severus pries it out of the pup's mouth and hands it to Gwendolyn. "Why don't you throw it for him a bit, hm?"

The girl's ruddy face lights up. "Okay!"

With her, Hestia, and Ichabod occupied for the moment, Severus goes over to Scabior. "So?" he says in greeting and question.

The younger releases the hand of the little boy he's holding. The child darts off in the direction of the girls, whom his mother appears to be introducing to the Jones girls' parents, Aunt Vesta, Boyd, and his grandfather. "Sorry," Scabior says. "Mam said I couldn't come unless I found my own way 'ere and brought the others too. I would'a said something, but…"

"Afraid I'd change my mind about inviting you, if I knew you wanted to bring all of your siblings?" Severus looks at the girls and the boy Scabior brought. They look more or less like each other, but he never did clarify just how many siblings Scabior has before now. "They all are your sisters and brothers, aren't they?"

Scabior nods his head. "Yeah, thank Merlin Aunt Sally wasn't watching my cousin Liam's kid, or I would'a 'ad to bring 'im too. Romy can't stand being left outta anythin'!"

Severus shrugs. "I wouldn't have minded," he tells his friend. "Aunt Vesta let Mum borrow Topper today to help with preparations and I know he made more food than we needed."

The boy's body sags with relief. "Still, I'm sorry. I know I should'a asked first."

He waves off the apology. As his mother said to the Jones' family, everything can't always go according to plan. Severus is just relieved Scabior's at least contrite about his deception.

Scabior starts to look around, "Is this everyone?"

He smirks at his friend. "Not quite," he answers as he hears the floo flare to life with more company. "Come on inside, the last person's here." The boy's expression turns into one of befuddlement, but he follows Severus back into the cottage. There, at the hearth, stands Mei Wong, blinking owlishly at his home's kitchen.

"Mei!" Scabior exclaims, delight and shock intermingling in his breathy tone.

Severus lets the feeling of accomplishment warm him. He knew it would be a good idea to invite the girl. Scabior appeared to truly like Mei and enjoy her company towards the end of the school year. It also seemed pertinent to have a child a closer in age to Scabior around for him to talk to and play with when the rest of them began to get caught up in discussing upper-year matters and interests.

The girl's eyes snap to them, a shy smile starting at the corners of her lips. "Hi," she returns. "It's nice to see you two again."

"You as well," Severus replies as Scabior speeds over to the girl and grabs her hand.

Grinning at her, he tells Mei, "All my siblings are 'ere. You 'member 'ow I told you you'd like Mari? Well, you can meet 'er now instead of at 'Ogwarts!"

Mei lets herself be pulled along out of the cottage by the now exuberant Scabior, leaving Severus to shake his head at the two as he follows them out at a more sedate pace.

-O-

A while later, after everyone's begun to settle down and pair off or form small groups, Severus sits down beneath a tree and watches on as the Jones girls and a couple of Scabiors little sisters and brother chorus at the puppy, "Here, Ichabod! Here, boy!" Ichabod, who'd been sniffing at some tall grass, turns his head at the shouting. When he sees the group of young children crouched low with open arms, he gives something akin to a grin before bounding off into the direction of the girls and little boy. They shriek with joy as Ichabod takes a couple of them down into the grass and starts to slobber all over them.

A feeling of mirth tugging at his chest, he chuckles.

"Remember how we used to spend hours rolling around in the grass with my neighbor's dog?" asks Lily as she comes to sit next to him, two plates of Eton mess in hand.

Severus takes the plate that's offered to him. Picking up the fork, he takes a bite. "I do," he replies.

She grins at him. "Do you think we looked just as ridiculous?"

"Without a doubt," he answers, smiling back at her.

Lily scoots closer after that and lays her head on his shoulder to watch the little Scabiors and Jones play with Ichabod more comfortably. When Severus finishes his plate, he puts it down and rests his head atop Lily's. If there's any day of this summer he wants to remember forever he thinks it will be this one.


	75. Expanded: V

"Come, Ichabod!" shouts Severus out the back door of his home.

The flattie pup lifts his snout from the ground and looks at Severus for a moment. Ichabod's tongue lolls out of his mouth and then, with something akin to a grin on his face, he lopes over to Severus. When the puppy reaches him, he crouches down and gives Ichabod a good scratch around his ears. Happily, the pup leans in for more. "Good dog," Severus praises as he leads them inside, letting the back door slam shut behind them.

Walking out of the mudroom and into the kitchen, he returns to where his porridge sits on the kitchen table and starts to eat. A few moments later his mother drifts into the room, hair mused and wrapped up in her housecoat.

"Hi, Mum," he says between mouthfuls.

She blinks a set of tired, bleary eyes at him before she smiles. "Hello, darling," she returns. Ichabod, who's been begging at Severus's feet, comes out from under the table to nuzzle Severus's mother. She leans down to pet the pup. "And hello to you too, good boy." She then goes to the stove to heat the kettle. A couple of minutes later, she sits down at the table across from Severus, hands wrapped around a cup of tea.

"You're up early today," she says.

He shrugs. Severus really isn't. Usually, he just spends his first hour or so awake reading. Not that he plans to share that with her. She might start bothering him in the mornings then and he quite likes his early morning solitude. "I'm going to Diagon Alley with some mates at ten for back-to-school things," he explains.

She hums. "Which mates? Sage and Lily, I assume, but who else?"

"Lily had to cancel, actually. She's come down with something nasty. I'm going with Sage, Sirius, and his brother–"

They both glance to the window when the owl with the day's post begins to tap impatiently at the glass. "Let me get that," his mum mutters as she rises to her feet; Ichabod barking loudly at the noise.

Severus stretches around the table and shushes the pup. "Ichabod! Quiet!"

The flattie looks at him with big, guilty eyes before slinking over to Severus's feet once more. A moment later, his mother returns to the table, eyes roving over the front page of the paper. "I think you and the lads will have to reschedule your trip, Severus."

"What?" he says, confused, around a mouthful of porridge.

She sighs. "Do not talk with your mouth full," chides Mum.

He closes his mouth with an audible click.

With one last reproving look, she hands Severus the Daily Prophet to look at. He takes it with both hands. His eyes swallow every centimeter of the picture and headline.

**Twinkle's Telescopes Razed, Praedico Predico, and Pettichaps Heavily Damaged.**

Beneath the headline is a picture of a gaping, black mess of charred timber and cinder between two nearly unrecognizable shops that Severus knows are Praedico Predico and Pettichaps; over the top of the three floats the Death Eater's insignia. He doesn't bother to read the attached article. Doesn't need to. He remembers this from his first life. Not well, of course, it had been one shop among many utterly destroyed by Voldemort and his followers, but it is one that sticks in his memory even now.

Partly in thanks to his old colleague, Hogwart's professor of astronomy, Aurora Sinistra. On occasion, during small talk at the staff table, she'd make mention of her unhappy aunt and uncle after receiving a letter from her mother. It is her uncle, Gannon, and aunt, Emily, who own the shop. Severus thinks in his first go, it came out at some point shortly after its destruction during the first war the reason the shop was brought to its foundation was that Sinistra's aunt (a second generation witch) and uncle favored highering Muggleborns to work in their store. The couple, or, rather, Emily Sinistra, felt a sense of duty to help people like her parents who had no family reputation or influence to help them get decent jobs that could support them and their families.

It seems Emily Sinistra's early childhood had been a lean time for her family, as her father was forced to work for a number of unsavory bosses for hardly more than pittances before he had enough of a reputation as a clever, hard worker to get something more to his liking that could also support his growing family. Sinistra's aunt never forgot this time and her once indulgent husband was more than happy to help her on her little mission to do good by Muggleborns that were like his father-in-law.

Until the shop was burned down, anyhow. After it was restored a year or two later, their reputation for highering Muggle-borns by the score quickly changed. They hired them in no higher quantities than any other store. Gannon Sinistra nearly lost the family business once and it seems he wasn't willing to risk it again – no matter what it did to his relationship with his wife. As Aurora Sinistra sometimes remarked during the table's idle conversation, they were quite chilly with one another after the shop's reconstruction until her aunt up and left one day in the mid-nineties to never return.

Severus hands his mother back the paper. "I suppose we will," he replies.

She brings a yellowed finger to trace the headline. "Let's not mention this headline when we have tea with your Aunt Vesta and Sage tomorrow, hm?"

He nods agreeably. Severus knows that's there's a good chance that Boyd, perhaps Adam Parkinson too, had a role in last night's arson. Aunt Vesta will realize this as well when she sees the paper. It's unlikely she'll disapprove of the news her son was involved so much as she'll disapprove of Boyd actually being at the scene of the crime and doing something so dangerous. The shop was definitely taken out with a few blasting spells and maybe a fiendfyre too.

Though, perhaps, when she sees Severus and Eileen she will be reminded of the Muggle-born girls she met only a week ago at Ichabod's introduction and feel shame knowing her son took part in something that hurt people like Severus's friends. But that's likely a pipe dream; he saw the way she said hardly more than a polite "How do you do?" to Lily and Mei both. She has no lost love for Muggle-borns, even if they are Severus's friends.

Aunt Vesta may be able to overlook his pedigree out of love for Severus's mother and a sense of family, but the same can't be said for Lily or Mei. He doubts she would ever accept a potential marriage between him and Lily. She hadn't his mother and his father's, so why would she take any better to a hypothetical marriage between him and Lily?

He's come to care for Aunt Vesta since he first met her and at times even wished his mother was more like her. It hurts to know that somewhere in his future he might lose her. But… He's not going to give up Lily for her. For anyone. He messed things up royally with Lily once already and he's not going to make that mistake again. This time, he will always pick her. Damn the consequences.

Severus will gladly lose all his family if it means he'll have his best friend at his side forever after this time.

-o-O-o-

In the end, Severus is initially pleased they had to reschedule their trip to Diagon Alley for the following week. It means Lily's recovered from her illness and that the two of them can walk around the Alley holding hands as their friends surround them, laughing and talking, as they flit in and out of the shops to buy their supplies. They bask in the good cheer and sun and it feels like it's going to be another day Severus'll get to label an idyllic summer memory when out of a shop steps William Wilkes and Lilith Crabbe.

The two know better than to say anything to anyone's face with Severus right there – they'd learned that lesson as first years – but it doesn't stop them from bending their heads so close together Wilke's russet strands mingle with Crabbe's bright blonde. "Can you believe it?" Wilkes says to Crabbe just loud enough they will be overheard, but can later deny its intentionality. "Do you think his brother knows he goes around with such…  _filth_?"

Crabbe, lips pursed critically on her square, homely face which is already showing signs of the ugly, sour countenance it will become in nary two decades, nods. "You know what I heard?  _That_ one made a disgrace of his family by sneaking in the mongrel to his cousin's wedding!"

"How much do you want to bet his brother put him up to it?"

"I think they did it together. You've seen him and the black sheep together at school, he's been corrupted!"

Severus watches how Sage wilts where he stands right in front of him. Beside Sage, Regulus doesn't appear to be holding up much better. He's fidgeting and occasionally glancing a little over his shoulder at where Sirius walks on Severus's right. Severus only has to look out of the corner of his eye a moment to see that Sirius's face is fixed in a snarl. He stares straight ahead, however, not wanting to give Wilkes and Crabbe the pleasure of seeing they've managed to hit a nerve with him. Of course, it gives Regulus the wrong impression, who huddles closer to Sage, as if buddying up will protect him from what appears to be his brother's fury directed at him.

He can't stand it. He's not going to let Crabbe and Wilkes get away with planting disquiet seeds in his friends' heads. Severus elbows Sirius, letting the teenager know they are going to confront the wankers, but as he starts to turn so he can lead them in the telling off – and maybe, after Severus and Sirius finish with that, punching one of them in the face – Lily's grip on his hand strengthens as her other comes to grab his arm and hold him in his place.

"No, Severus! Sirius!" she hisses. "Getting in a brawl won't help anything. We just need to move on right now."

He brings the three of them to a halt and glares at Lily. "Do you want to let them get away with saying shit?"

Lily frowns at him. "There are times and places for confronting someone and now, in  _the middle of Diagon Alley,_ is not it."

"What better place than a public street to call out a pair of pricks like them?" he counters.

His girlfriend gestures ahead to where Regulus and Sage wait for them; watching with varying levels of unease and worry. "They need us more!"

He growls in the back of his throat. "It will take all of a moment!"

"Do you know if  _they_ want you starting something on their behalf?" she argues.

Severus glowers at Lily. "Do you truly think we wouldn't finish it?"

She puts one hand on her hip and the other goes to rub her eyes. "This is just so typical."

"What's typical?" Severus demands, confused, but also bracing himself for an insult.

Her hand falls away from her eyes a moment, allowing him to see the hard edge of her gem-like eyes. "You can never let a thing go."

"Is that what you think?" he asks in a low, seething tone. "After everything I've done to prove the contrary to you and the whole bloody world?" Briefly, contriteness flashes across Lily's face. It dissipates quickly, however, when Severus has the bright idea to say, "You are such a bitch!"

She lets right go of him, expression stony. "Fine," she replies, tone short. "Do what you want. I don't care." She reaches around Severus to snag Sirius, however. "But not you. You're coming with me and the others."

He watches Lily drag Sirius over to the rest of their friends and feels regret curdle in his stomach like sour milk. Why does he always have to make things worse? To his left, he hears Crabbe and Wilkes snickering. He flushes with anger and embarrassment. He knows they hadn't been quiet, even though they did manage to keep themselves from shouting in the streets like a crass pair of teenagers having their first lover's tiff.

Severus swings his head around to glare at the pair. They smirk a moment, but when Severus starts to raise a fist, they quickly turn slack-face and hurry in the opposite direction of him.

'That's quite alright,' he thinks, 'I'll make you regret your words soon enough.'

After another moment, Severus goes to rejoin the group, who linger up ahead near the door of the next store they need to pay a visit. Unfortunately, Lily won't so much as spare him a glance and Sirius, who is no longer in her grasp, stays next to her out of what may be Gryffindor solidarity as much as friendship. Sage falls into place beside Severus and Regulus, who doesn't seem sure if he should stand with his brother or with Sage and Severus, his fellow Slytherins, flits between them.

They don't talk too much anymore, and what is said sounds awkward and is greatly stilted by lengthy silences between replies. Seeing as the day is now ruined, they all appear to come to the conclusion to rush through the last of their back-to-school shopping and say a round of short goodbyes before splitting off to go to their respective homes.

-o-O-o-

He sends Lily an apology letter shortly after he returns to his mother's cottage. He waits all of the evening and night, the next day too, for her to owl back. Yet she doesn't. It leaves him panicky and he can't concentrate long enough to write so much as a single line for his summer transfiguration essay. So, he takes Ichabod out to the fields and watches the pup thrash through the grass, liver-hued tail popping up now and then to let Severus know where he is amongst the vegetation.

His mum takes notice of his abrupt change of behavior around lunchtime. Over their sandwiches and tea, she asks, "Is there a reason you're staring so intently at the window? Why you insist on tapping your foot so insistently?"

Severus drops his gaze to his uneaten sandwich and doesn't reply.

She sighs and a moment later, his head's being gently lifted up by her finger crooked beneath his chin. "Come now, what's wrong? Did something happen yesterday while you were shopping with your friends? I noticed you were home quite a while earlier than you said you would be."

He contemplates telling her the whole truth verse an abridged version. Severus reckons the more honest he is with her the more likely it is his mother might offer some assurance that things are  _not_ entirely ruined between him and Lily. It can't be, can it? Severus should have never called Lily a bitch, but it's nowhere near as bad as what he once called her… But what if this time it is enough? She's made it clear she expects much more from him now than she ever did when they were truly young.

"While we were between shops, we ran into William Wilkes and Lilith Crabbe. They said some unkind things about Regulus and Sage and I… I wanted to confront them. Lily didn't. We were rowing about that and then she said something that's a little too true about me and then I called her a… a bitch."

Her hand falls away from beneath his chin. She doesn't look exactly happy, but not angry either. A little bit disappointed, perhaps, which Severus understands. It was rather immature of him to say such a thing. "That's a more than a bit not good, Severus," his mother chides. "I hope you've at least thought to apologize already."

"I did! I sent a letter the day before yesterday…" He pets Ichabod's head, where the pup rests it on his knee, looking up hopefully for a scrap of the sandwich still waiting on his plate. "She hasn't replied."

His mother begins to tap her fingers on the table in thought. "Perhaps a more personal apology is in order."

"I don't know," he replies with a small wince. "Lily might find it… pushy."

"Hmm… Why don't you try writing her again tomorrow and if nothing's changed by the weekend I'll take you to the Evans so you can see her."

It's a more reasonable plan than her last, though, Severus still worries Lily will think he's bombarding her instead of letting her calm down and forgive him on her own time. In the end, he nods. He fears if he is too hands off he will lose Lily altogether. "Yes, alright," Severus agrees.

His mother smiles at him then. "It's going to be okay, Severus. Lily and you have been friends for too long for one insult to end everything."

Severus resists the urge to tell her that just isn't so, but then he might have to explain much more and that's the last thing he wants to get into right now. So, he does his best to smile back at his mother. "Thanks, Mum."

-o-O-o-

The next day, Severus sends another letter and with it, at his mum's suggestion, he attaches a small bouquet of wildflowers from around their cottage. That afternoon he receives a letter back from Lily.

In it, she thanks him for the flowers. Then Lily reiterates she didn't like being called a bitch for just trying to look out for Severus and their friends, but she's willing to forgive him as she sees now, with reflection and time, it was something he said out of anger and not malice. The most heartening part of Lily's letter is what follows:

_I'm sorry too, by the way, of accusing you of never letting things go. I know that's not true. You may have a harder time of it, but you do. You've done it so many times since we returned and I was wrong. Tomorrow my parents are having an end of the summer dinner. I was wondering if you'd like to come for it? James will be there too, so it's not like you'll be intruding on a family moment._

_Love,_

_Lily_

Severus doesn't let his mother read the letter itself, but he does relay the important parts of it to her and then asks if he can go to the dinner. Smirking, she tells him she's glad things have worked out and agrees he can go to the Evans' tomorrow.

His mum then pulls him to her side and gives him a brief hug. "See, Severus, I told you it would all be okay."

He nods happily. "You did, thank you for your help, Mum."

She takes his face in both her hands and makes him meet her dark, tremulous gaze. "Oh, darling, there's no need to thank me," his mum tells him. " _Thank you_ for letting me be a part of your life and help you. I know I've not been a good mother to you always and it means so much to me that you trust me enough to advise you during your row with Lily."

Severus doesn't hesitate to wrap his mother up in an embrace. This is the mother he once thought her, the mother he  _knew_  she could be if given the chance. He loves her and desperately hopes this woman she is now will be the one she continues to be in his absence, the one he will return to over winter holidays, and next summer.

"Love you, Mum," he mumbles into her neck.

Her hand comes to rest on his back. "And I you, my dear boy."


	76. Overrunning

"Mum, do you really think it's appropriate to bring him?" Severus asks as he grabs the handle of his school trunk.

His mother, now finished with affixing Ichabod's lead around the pup's neck, stands up. "There will be owls, cats, toads, and rats by the score at the station. A puppy is not going to stand out." She reaches down to the flattie's level and gives his ear a scratch as she coos, "And you'd like to see Severus off too, wouldn't you, good boy?"

Ichabod responds by giving one of his odd, not-quite-a-grin grins.

As for Severus, he crinkles his nose at her. "Ugh, don't talk to him like he's a dunderhead. Ichabod is  _clever_."

"Alright, alright," she agrees in between chuckles. Turning to Severus, she waves her wand at Severus's trunk, and a moment later, it's floating. "There," she says, "shall we go?"

"Yes, let's."

-O-

"Ichabod!" a pair of little voices chorus shortly after Severus and his mother join the platform's crowd to look for Sage and Aunt Vesta. As Severus scans the crowds for the source of the shouts, he notices diagonally from where he and his mother stand, witches and wizards are swaying, stumbling back, cursing, and yelping. He lowers his gaze in anticipation of who will appear and is not at all surprised when Scabiors youngest siblings, Polly and Cal, burst out of the crowds, nearly knocking an older wizard over in their haste to get to Ichabod.

The children come to a stuttering halt just in front of Severus and his mum. The pair of imps flash smiles full of missing teeth and shout, "'Ello!" before dropping to their knees to lavish the now bouncing Ichabod with attention.

He and his mother share amused and bewildered glances before they turn their attention to the direction the children came from. Soon enough, Scabior, his two other sisters, and two more girls, one of whom Severus recognizes as an upper year Slytherin, appear with a man and woman, who holds an infant on her hip, leading up the rear.

"Pollyanna an' Calum Scabior!" the woman barks at the children. "What in Merlin's name were you thinking runnin' off like that?"

Cal and Polly pull away from Ichabod and get to their feet, heads bowed. Polly whispers, "Sorry, Aunt Sally. We saw Ichabod an'…"

"We forgot."

The woman sighs and rolls her eyes. She snaps her fingers at the pair. "Well, come back 'ere, then."

The two scurry back over to their family and take the hands of their oldest siblings. "Sorry, Aunt Sally," Scabior's other sister, Mari, says. "We should'a 'eld onto 'em better."

Scabior's aunt only shakes her head as she hitches the baby in her arms higher on her hip. "Don't you worry your 'ead, luv, I've minded enough little'uns over the years to know there's nothin' more slippery than a pair of excited children in a crowded place."

When Mari's tense shoulders loosen and a smile starts on the corners of her mouth, Scabior's aunt, finally turns her attention to Severus and his mum. "Why, 'ello," she says. With a broad grin that shows off her many crooked teeth, she steps forward to shake their hands. "I'm Sally Duffield," she introduces. She gestures back to the children and the man, who Severus now believes must be her husband. "You know most of the little'uns already, but–" she points at her husband, who's a rather gaunt figure with a disinterested glaze to his brown eyes. "That's my 'usband, Eustace." She then waves to the girl he previously recognized. "My daughter, Posey." She winks at Severus. "Betcha knew that already, didn't you? She's in Slytherin like you an' Edmund."

Mrs. Duffield doesn't so much as wait for a nod before she goes on to say, "I got another, but 'e's not 'ere today. Marlan, my son, couldn't get outta 'is shift at White Wyvern today." Bouncing the baby on her hip as they began to grab at one of her dangling earrings, she smiles wider as she tells them, "An' this bruiser 'ere is my great-nephew, Jonathan, 'is sister, Rosemary, is that one by Eleanor."

The little girl, who can't be older than four, waves her small hand at them, showing she's by far the friendliest of the group. "Can I pet your puppy?" asks she.

"Of course you may," Severus's mother replies. "He likes to be scratched around the ear."

Tiny, heart-shaped face pink with joy, she leaves the safety of her family and comes to stand next to her great-aunt before she holds out her hand for Ichabod. Never one to meet a stranger, Ichabod pushes his snout right into the girl's hand and begins to whine for a scratch. Scabior's cousin gives a cackling sort of laugh before she begins to pet Ichabod with both hands. It is at this point the rest of Scabior's family migrates over to them and all of the younger children turn their attention to Ichabod.

"It's very nice to meet you," Severus's mum says. "Do you often have such a brood around you?"

Mrs. Duffield's smile dims a shade. "Often enough," she answers. "I watch Rosemary an' Jonathan most every day for their parents. Liam and his wife work very 'ard an' need somebody reliable to leave the little'uns with. I imagine it won't be long at all before my boy adds his to the mix, 'e's got quite serious with 'is latest bird these past few months. As for my brother's children… Well, it's just for today. Since we were already takin' Posey to the station, it just made sense we take Edmund an' Marigold too. But you can't ever go anywhere without the rest wantin' to come, so… 'Ere we all are!"

His mother nods and smiles sympathetically. "That's very kind of you."

"Oh, it's nothin'," Scabior's aunt deflects. "They're family."

Severus doesn't even need to glance at his mother to know the expression on her face has become closed. "Yes…" she replies, tone brittle. She has no admiration for people who say they do things in the name of shared blood, only suspicion.

Before more can be said, from behind them all, a familiar voice calls, "Eileen! Severus!"

The two of them turn to see Aunt Vesta and Sage, with the surprise addition of Boyd and Violet, appear from the crowds and star tot speed towards them. "Hello, Vesta," his mother greets, allowing herself to be embraced by the smaller woman.

"My, it seems the party has started without us," Violet jokes.

Mrs. Duffield and Boyd laugh at the remark. "The little'uns got a sixth-sense for dogs. They lead us right over the moment the Snapes 'ere stepped onto the platform," explains Scabior's aunt, gray eyes glittering with mirth.

"Ah, yes, the dog," Violet replies, glancing down at the hoard of little children around Severus and his mother's feet. You can't really see much of Ichabod at all anymore, just a flash of liver coat now and then. The pup isn't whining or growling, so Severus suspects Ichabod is thoroughly enjoying all of the little hands petting him and voices praising him. "I'm quite sorry I couldn't come to meet him with everyone else, but Mother would have thrown an absolute fit if I canceled tea with her and Ethel."

Severus mum smiles at the young woman. "It's quite alright," she tells her. "You can meet him now." She looks down only to purse her lips when she sees that Ichabod is occupied for the moment. "Hm, or in a few minutes."

Violet waves a hand. "A few minutes from now is just fine." Her eyes soften as she looks over the children. "I wouldn't want to interrupt their fun."

Briefly, Severus wonders if Boyd and Violet already talking about children. Boyd had been adamant not that long ago babies aren't on their immediate agenda, but it seems Violet's ready, even if he isn't. It won't be too long, either way, he reckons, if things got the same way for the pair here as they did in his first life. Graham had been in the same year as Fred and George Weasley which means the boy will be born in the next couple of years and potentially before Severus finishes his second Hogwarts education.

While the adults begin to make small talk amongst each other, Severus turns his attention to Sage. "You didn't say Boyd and Violet were coming."

His brother shrugs and looks away. "It was kind of last minute."

Severus frowns at the aloofness, but decides not to press. "We should head for the Express soon, that's where I told Lily to meet up with us." He glances at the older Montagues. "I'd hate for her to feel like she has to come looking for us."

"Are you two… Okay?" questions Sage. "I know you said she accepted your apology, but…"

He nods. "Yes, we're fine, and still dating, which is what you were really asking, right?"

Sage smiles sheepishly. "I wasn't sure."

Severus waves a hand to show he isn't bothered. "It's quite alright." Then he turns to his mother and gets her attention by pulling lightly on her sleeve. He says, "We're going to head for the Express now. I want to find Lily before she has to forfeit the seats in the compartment she's found us."

"Of course," she replies. Leaning in, she places a kiss on his cheek. "Write me in a couple of days to let me know you've settled in just fine, okay?"

He dips his chin in agreement.

When it becomes obvious to the Scabior children and Posey Duffield that Sage and Severus are sharing their goodbyes with their family, Scabior, his little sister, and cousin hurry to do the same. Which Severus reckons is a smart choice on their part, since Scabior's smallest siblings are beginning to look a bit teary at the prospect of their older brother and sister leaving them.

In one final rush of parting embraces, the five of them make their escape for the Express. When they are on the train, Scabior's little sister gives her attention to her older cousin and asks, "Can I sit with you, Posey?"

Duffield sneers, her brown eyes narrowing malicious as she says, "I think not." The upper-year then turns her back on Mari and the rest of them, calling over her shoulder as she walks away, "Put your big girl knickers on and go make your own friends. I'm not sharing anything of mine with you anymore."

Mari's face crumples with hurt and she raises her hands as if she's preparing to use them to stem tears that are ready to pour from her gray-eyed gaze.

For a moment, Scabior looks as if he plans to curse his cousin, but in the end, he gentles his feral expression and gives all of his attention to his little sister. "'Ey, 'ey," Scabior soothes. "Y'can sit with me, Mari." He bumps up her chin and smiles at the girl. "We'll 'ave fun, you'll see. I'm sittin' with Mei an' a friend of 'ers. You liked Mei when you met 'er, right?"

As Scabior continues to try and cheer up his sister, Severus watches Duffield look into the windows of a couple compartments before she opens one. She looks back at them out of the corner of her eye as she steps into the room. If it's to ensure that Mari isn't following or out of guilt, Severus isn't close enough to tell. As he continues to stare down the train corridor, Sage whispers to him, "How much do you want to bet she snubbed Scabior like this during his first year? Perhaps that's why he was such a terror our third year. His cousin was treating him like he was the mud on her  _shoe_."

Severus nods. It's not a terrible theory. He thinks back to when he saw Scabior for the first time in this go. It'd been on the platform, hadn't it? He'd been standing alone among waves of boarding students just steps away from one of the train's entrances. Severus wonders now if that wasn't because his cousin had thrown similarly cruel words at Scabior before leaving him stunned in her wake.

Now is not the time to ask, however. Instead, he turns to the siblings and says, "Come on, let's find what compartment Mei is in for you two. We need to get to where Lily is before she and Sage have to go and meet with the prefects and Head Boy and Girl."

-O-

The ride to Hogwarts turns out pleasant enough in the end – even if it does start on rocky footing. For the first half of it, Lily, Sage, and Remus are gone, busy with their prefect meeting. It's the first time Severus has been all alone with Sirius, James, and Peter in a very long time. Perhaps since he woke up in this life. Severus keeps to himself at first, not quite wanting to draw too much of their attention. Sirius is one of his closest friends in this life and he even considers James a casual mate at times, but once… Once they weren't that. Being all alone with the two brings back the memories with an unexpected strength.

Surprisingly, it's Peter who notices his withdrawn behavior. "Hey, is something wrong?" he asks.

Severus blinks at the pudgy teenager. "No?"

James put down his playing cards and looks at Severus, squinting his eyes as he does so. "You and Lily  _are_ made up, right?"

"You  _told_ him?" Severus demands, turning a nasty glare on Sirius.

Sirius opens his mouth to reply, but James beats him to it by laughing sardonically. "Ha, ha, no.  _'Tuney_ did. In case you haven't figured it out yet, Severus, girls share everything."

He scowls at James, furious at his audacity. "I know more about girls than you, you  _prick_."

James frowns and twists to face Severus more fully, squaring his shoulders for a row as he does so. However, before the teenager can start a fight, Sirius leans in between the two of them, causing them to break eye contact. "Hey! No one's doubting how much you know about girls. What we're wondering is if you and Lily are okay. You're being kind of quiet over there."

"We're fine!" snaps Severus. "Potter-The-All-Knowing should already be aware of that. I was at the Evans dinner, wasn't I?"

James cranes his head to look at Severus around Sirius's bulk. "Yeah, you were there, but the two of you weren't really looking at each other or talking much either. I thought she'd invited you beforehand and… I don't know. You didn't want to make things awkward by not coming to dinner like you promised or something."

Severus hates to admit it, but they probably had looked like they were still in the middle of a tiff. While Lily said in her return letter she'd forgiven him, she'd initially been frosty with him still – as if she still wasn't entirely convinced he was contrite. After dinner, when they'd gone for a stroll around the neighborhood, he confronted her about her coolness and asserted once more – in person – he meant what he wrote her.

Things had gotten better after that. A lot better, even. If things hadn't been fixed, Severus doesn't think she'd have let him do what he did under the park's slide or return his affection after she finished.

"It was just the first time we saw each other since our row, is all," Severus finally replies.

James looks as if he wants to say more, but he loses the chance when the door to their compartment slides open. "We're back! Finally!" Lily exclaims as she, Sage, and Remus poor into the small room.

-O-

When they reach Hogwarts grounds and it comes time to take the thestral-lead carriages to the school, Severus grabs Lily by the hand and leads them swiftly away from their friends. When they are far enough away, he tells Lily, "Go find Cresswell while I look for Rookwood. I have something I want to discuss with you all. Let's meet at one of the last carriages, alright?"

She nods. "Yes, okay."

With that, they split up. Severus wants to show them all the Horcrux and get their agreement to meet in the unused classroom Lily and he has picked to use this year to discuss his plans for it in-depth today or tomorrow after dinner.

In spite of the hundreds of students waiting to board the carriages, it doesn't take him terribly long to find Rookwood. As per usual, she is the odd one out among her fellow Hufflepuffs. They are bunched together in tight groups or in couplings with only eyes for each other. She stands outside of one of the larger groups comprised of mostly dormmates, wearing a bored expression.

Severus doesn't get closer, just catches her gaze and gestures with a tilt of his head for her to follow. Then he turns back around and starts in the direction of the carriages he said for Lily to meet him at. He doesn't so much as glance back, confident that Rookwood is perceptive enough to follow him. When he reaches the end of the line of carriages, he sees Lily's head poking out of the second to last. When she sees him and the Hufflepuff trailing behind him, she disappears from view.

He climbs into the carriage and takes a seat beside Lily. Across from him, Rookwood fills the empty spot beside Cresswell. While Rookwood looks as if she's trying to pretend to be anywhere but in their carriage, Cresswell is glaring right at Severus. He sighs and pulls out his wand.

"Muffliato," he chants while waving his wand at the carriage's entrance and windows. When done, he returns Cresswell's glare. "What is it you have to say?"

"You invited Mei to your home to see Scabior."

He raises an eyebrow.

Cresswell, pulls back his lips in a snarl and hisses, "I told you to keep them apart!"

Severus sighs and then pinches the bridge of his nose to try and stem a headache he feels building behind his temples. "They get on, even if I do everything in my power to stop their friendship, it likely won't stop them from seeing or talking to one another."

The Ravenclaw waves his wand threateningly at him. "That doesn't mean you ought to be  _encouraging_ them! I've told you before, Scabior and his bloody snatchers  _murdered_ me and would have murdered Mei too! I don't want him near her!"

"Scabior the snatcher and the little boy you know now aren't the same person, Dirk," Lily counters. "We've talked about this, everyone's different."

Rookwood snorts. "Not  _everyone_ ," she mutters.

"Shut up, Rookwood," snaps Severus. "You're not helping."

The Hufflepuff rolls her eyes. "But I'm not wrong, am I?"

"That's why we should be stopping their friendship! You don't really know how changed he is!" Cresswell shouts, using Rookwood's remarks as evidence for his argument.

Severus opens his mouth to tell Cresswell exactly how much of an idiot he's being when Lily argues, "I think the fact he's pursuing a friendship at all with a Muggleborn proves he's changed." She looks at Severus. "Isn't that so?"

He mulls it over in his mind a moment. On one hand, it would be best he agrees with Lily. But he doesn't really think his and Mei's friendship is a true sign of the change in Scabior. It's not as if Scabiors are known for their pureness. From what Severus recalls, they don't have many qualms about marrying witches and wizards who have recent non-magical ancestors.

Scabior's participation in the snatchers was far more personal. Given the way the boy takes pleasure in antagonizing others and causing destruction, Severus reckons he joined Voldemort's forces purely for the thrill of the hunt and to inflict pain on others. Which is horrifying and disgusting, but given what he's learned about Scabior over the past couple of years, he can't say he's surprised. He'd been on a bad path from the start.

Now, though. In this go, he's better. Not anywhere near good and as he is, Severus would still bet on him becoming a snatcher again rather than not, but with more time… and a dozen more positive influences and experiences, he could be a hero someday.

"He's really not much better," Severus finally settles on saying. However, before Lily can decry him or Cresswell use it as leverage for his own stance, Severus says, " _But_ if things continue as they are now, Mei being a friend to him, myself offering help where I can, having more positive experiences like winning the dueling competition… He could change. He could be good.  _Great_."

Cresswell glares at Severus for a moment before he sinks into his seat, arms crossed. "I don't like it," he finally grumbles. "But… If being friends is what will keep him from becoming my murderer again, I guess I can let them be. Just keep me out of it." He shivers a little. "I don't like being around him for too long."

Lily reaches across the carriage to place a hand on the Ravenclaw's knee. "Of course, Dirk. We understand."

Rookwood coughs and Severus looks over at her. She meets his gaze, eyebrows high on her forehead, before looking at him and then at Lily and Cresswell. Severus can't help but look at them a moment too. Lily's just comforting Cresswell, he knows that; can  _see_ that. Add in how Rookwood  _just_ tried to cause discord in their little time-traveler band with insisting that not everyone's as changed as he and Lily believe, he should just brush off what she's trying to imply.

But…

What if she has a point? Hadn't Severus only a few months earlier thought Cresswell and Lily were a bit closer than friends? He's done his best to ignore it, since they are finally dating like he always dreamed of, but Severus can feel Lily's holding part of herself back from their relationship. What if it's because of Cresswell? So bothered by the thought, Severus says nothing more during the ride. Instead, he watches and listens as Lily quietly talks to the Ravenclaw, trying to comfort him and distract him from the memories of his old life and death.

By the time they arrive at Hogwarts, Severus realizes they never got to talking about the Horcruxes. Blocking them all from exiting the carriage when it stops, he tells the other three, "Tonight, after the feast, we all need to meet near the Ravenclaw tower. There is something important we need to discuss in regards to the Horcrux Rookwood and I found this summer."

He makes sure all give some indication of agreement before he lets them off the carriage. When he steps out, Lily is waiting for him, hand outstretched for his. "Shall we go find our friends?" she asks, smiling.

Severus takes her hand, some of his earlier fears vanishing. "Let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've got a couple of minutes and are interested, I'd love it if you guys could check out _Look At These Photographs_. It's a story from Hagrid's POV where he goes to ask Severus for photos of Lily during Harry's first year to put in the album Hagrid gives Harry.
> 
> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	77. Overrunning: II

When it comes time for Mari Scabior's sorting, Severus straightens his back and pays close attention. The girl walks up to the stool quickly, though, if it's from nerves or excitement he can't say until she's sitting on the stool. Even then all he gets is the briefest look at her white face before Minerva drops the Sorting Hat over Mari's head.

The Great Hall doesn't fall entirely silent. At the Slytherin table, there are whispers behind him. He knows they are putting down knuts on Mari's addition to their house. Scabiors are nearly always Slytherin. When they aren't, they are Hufflepuffs. As Mari's sorting goes on, Severus glances to the Hufflepuff table. He sees them eyeing Mari with more and more interest. They undoubtedly think this Scabior is going to be theirs rather than Slytherin's.

Severus isn't so sure.

Another minute passes and the anticipation in the hall builds. Finally, after a nearly audible cackle from the Sorting Hat, it roars, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupts in cheers and Mari Scabior is smiling as she hops off the stool. Severus tracks her as she goes to sit next to Wong, who welcomes her with a grin and short hug. She then keeps a hand on Mari's arm as she introduces her to her friends. Steepling his hands in front of him, Severus contemplates the sight and tries to recall if Gryffindor was Mari's house in his last go too.

He's not sure. The Scabiors had been of little interest to Severus, even the ones he taught as a professor managed to stay under his radar. How many were Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw escapes him. Even so, it feels different. New. Severus thinks Mari went elsewhere before. He hopes Gryffindor is just as if not more agreeable a house than the last she was in.

Scanning the Slytherin table for Scabior, he sends the boy a smirk when he catches his gaze. Scabior smiles back, seemingly happy for his little sister. But why wouldn't he be? Scabior knows Gryffindors like Lily, Wong, and Sirius. He knows she'll be well cared for there. Severus is about to return his attention to the Sorting Ceremony when a thought comes to him. Searching the table a little more, it's not long before he spies Duffield among her fellow sixth years. Her eyes are not fixed forward on the child being sorted, but to her right, to where Mari sits among the lions. It looks to Severus she is attempting to keep her features neutral, but she is not so versed an actress he can't see the tightness around her eyes or the small downward quirk of her mouth.

Duffield is not happy.

Severus makes a note to mention such to Lily. She'll keep an eye on the girl for him. Severus's eyes flicker back to Scabior. He stares at the faint, but still very present scar running across the boy's face. Lily won't fail at her task like he did.

-o-O-o-

He tosses the diary on a desk. The other three come closer, eyes wide as they inspect the inconspicuous cover. "This is one of his Horcruxes."

Cresswell narrows his eyes. "Are you sure? It's not very menacing at all."

Severus nods. "Very." He picks it back up and tucks it into his robes. "It's one of several." He looks around the classroom. "I believe there's another in the castle," he tells them. "Somewhere," he adds after a moment, not entirely sure giving away any more details is such a good idea. His gaze darts to Rookwood a moment, who rolls her eyes at him. She knows he holds very little trust in her. She probably thinks he'll tell Lily and Cresswell another time where he believes this other Horcrux waits. The worst part is Rookwood isn't wrong.

He suspects he will tell them long before he tells her. He probably won't say anything until he's holding it in his own two hands, even.

"How do we destroy it?" Lily asks.

"I know of one way: Basilisk venom."

Cresswell sighs with exaggeration and throws up his hands. "Perfect. It won't be suspicious at all for three fifteen-year-olds and a fourteen-year-old to go around seeing if anyone knows where they can get their hands on some."

Lily reaches over to lay a hand on Severus's arm. "Is there really no other way to destroy it?" she questions, tone anxious.

He shakes his head. "Not that I know of."

"There must be!" Rookwood argues. "Most everything can be destroyed two or three ways."

He glowers at the Hufflepuff. Does she take him for a dunderhead?  _Of course_ there must be more ways to destroy a Horcrux. That, however, is not the point. "That may be so, but I do not know the one or two other ways and I'd rather this destroyed quickly so it cannot fall into the wrong hands."

"Surely it won't take that long to research other ways–"

"–All information on them will be in the restricted section. Irma  _will_ notice if several of her books go missing from the shelves. It might not seem like it, but she's very aware of what is and isn't in her library at any given time. Especially books from the restricted section. If you think Irma is strict, you're mad. She likes her quiet, is all. She's really quite soft.

"When a book goes missing from her library through less than proper means she doesn't kick up a fuss for quite a while. Even when it's from the restricted section, she doesn't say much of anything until it's been gone for a few days. She thinks knowledge shouldn't be kept from anyone. Even dangerous books she thinks can teach a lesson to the students who read them. Be it the ones they were looking for or others ones. However, if several go missing at once… I highly doubt Irma will waste any time telling Albus." He levels them all with a dark look. "Do you want the professors to start a hunt for those books and, in turn, us?"

Rookwood turns away while Lily and Cresswell shake their heads.

Severus runs a hand through his hair to calm himself down before he says, "I do know a way to get our hands on Basilisk poison."

"Oh?" Lily murmurs.

He nods. "Do you remember my story about Harry's second year?"

Her eyes go wide and her face drains of all color. "No. Absolutely not."

"It's the quickest–"

"–But what if it gets away from us? It could hurt the children!"

Severus slams a fist down on one of the desks. "Do you not think we'll take precautions to prevent anything from happening to the children? Tell me, Lily, what kind of reckless twit do you take me for?"

Lily falls silent, eyes averted, but a distinctly upset quiver to her lips. Severus has a feeling he will have to apologize later. He really shouldn't have yelled at her so quickly. She's just worried. Cresswell, who stands close to Lily, starts to pat her back. "It's great you're thinking of the other students, Lily. We need to think about their safety above all else, but that's not the real issue we need to be considering, is it?" he asks, looking straight at Severus.

He itches to shove Cresswell away from Lily. She's  _his_ now, not the Ravenclaw's. However, he fights down the frightfully immature idea and nods. "Yes, that's right."

"What's the problem then?" Rookwood demands, trying to sound authoritative, but failing spectacularly. Which is quite sad, given that she's a mother. Perhaps that explains why Vincent Crabbe was such a bully. Rookwood never bothered to punish her precious son and instead let him turn into a brutish troll.

He pointedly looks away from her and at Lily and Cresswell as he explains, "To get into the chamber, you must say 'open' in Parseltongue to the snake faucet in the second-floor girl's lavatory."

"No one speaks Parseltongue!" balks Cresswell. "You can't even really learn it. Just mimic the sounds and hope to Merlin you don't offend any snakes!"

Severus nods. "I know."

"So how are we to get in?" Lily asks.

He lifts a hand and begins to list off several different rough ideas he's come up with. "One of us writes in Riddle's diary. He will eventually possess the one who does and make his own way in there. At that point, the rest of us can follow. However, then comes the tricky problem of destroying the diary and making sure the one who is possessed is released from Riddle's hold at the same time. Otherwise, someone could end up dead, which I'm sure you all can agree is a far from ideal. Another idea is we all try to become animagus. If we are lucky, one of us will turn out to be a snake and the snake among us can hiss the password, letting us all in. A third possibility is we scour the castle for another entrance. I suspect there must be one. It would be quite foolhardy to  _not_ have another way in – or to escape – should something happen to the initial entrance. Salazar Slytherin wasn't foolhardy."

"Or we could find a way to change the password to the chamber, " Cresswell suggests. "Better yet! The language one has to speak to get it to open."

Rookwood jeers, "To what language? French?"

Cresswell scowls at her a moment before he says, "No, of course not. That's far too common. What if there's still a Triwizard Tournament in this lifetime? We can't risk a Beauxbaton student opening the chamber." He then puffs out his chest a little and says, "I was thinking Gobbledegook would be a fine replacement. It's not a language the majority of students will ever come to school speaking–"

"–But Professor Flitwick does–"

Louder, over Rookwood's dissenting grumbles, "–Nor one Hogwarts has offered classes in for over two hundred years."

"I think that sounds brilliant," Lily praises, smiling favorably at Cresswell, which makes the Ravenclaw look even more pleased with himself than he already did.

Severus resists the urge to roll his eyes. He then points out, "How are we to change the language? We don't know the spell he used on the chamber in the first place."

Cresswell deflates a bit and scratches the back of his neck. "Surely it won't be a spell that's too hard to find? I mean, how many password charms are there?"

"I can name four off the top of my head and I think I've heard of at least two more," Severus counters.

Eyes darting between the two of them, Lily says, "Then I think we ought to test what we know now and start researching for more."

Severus sighs. "Yes, alright. Let's start tomorrow, shall we? I know you have a Gryffindor prefect meeting you need to be at very soon and you have your own in Ravenclaw, don't you, Cresswell?"

The two nod. The four of them then quickly discuss what time would be best for the four of them to regroup tomorrow and settle for a short time after lunch. With that, they split off, Lily and Dirk heading in the direction of their respective towers as Rookwood and Severus descend toward the dungeons.

As they walk in silence, Severus feels Rookwood staring at him. He, however, doesn't so much as peek at her out of the corner of his eye. He's not interested in speaking to her any more than he has to. She's already shown she's out to make cracks in their group, not be a solidifying force.

"How many Horcruxes are there right now?" she asks.

Severus sighs. "At least four, most likely, five."

She makes a noise of shock. "That many?"

He shrugs his shoulders and speeds up. The Hufflepuff dorms come before Slytherin's. If he can pass her, she'll have no reason to follow him.

"You have the diary with you. Where are the others?"

Severus grits his teeth. He doesn't like this line of questioning at all. "Like I said, one's in the castle. I have an idea for some of the others and I don't know about the rest."

"What is the other Horcrux in the castle?" she asks, staring blatantly at him.

He contemplates lying. That, however, is far too likely to backfire on him. She will either think he's not as knowledgeable as he's been leading them to believe or will want to know how he knew it was a Horcrux when they find it. "A diadem," he answers.

"Huh. You know where it is too?"

He turns to face her fully. "Yes, I have an idea. That's all the more I'm going to say on it too."

Rookwood smirked at him. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"After all you've done today?" he replies. "Not even a little."

She steps closer and tries to grab his wrist. "We don't need them, you know–"

"–Yes, we do. Cresswell and Lily bring an invaluable perspective to our plight," Severus cut in, raising his voice as he does so. Pulling out his wand he casts a privacy spell on them. "If anything, Rookwood,  _we_ don't need  _you_. You say you want to save your family and you don't care for Voldemort, but here you are trying to sabotage our mission for a better world!"

The Hufflepuff bares her teeth. "They will turn on you. Someday, you'll have to make a hard choice and those pricks won't understand. I know what kind of people they are, they see everything in black and white. When you make that choice, they will berate you and accuse you of terrible things, and then abandon you!"

Severus shakes his head. "No, they won't."

"Just you wait, Snape. You'll see I'm right." She laughs darkly. "Quite soon, I reckon."

Briefly, he wonders if Rookwood knows something he doesn't. Severus contemplates using legilimency to find out, but thinks better of it. Rookwood doesn't know anything. She  _can't_. She was once daft enough to marry Bernard Crabbe and have a child with him. Rookwood is trying to get in his head and put doubt there. She wants to create a fissure between him and Lily and Cresswell so she can have him all to herself.

What she thinks will happen then is beyond Severus. Even if (Merlin forbid) they all fall apart, he's going to continue the work he is doing now. He will make sure Voldemort dies to never return and the future here is better than the one they lived. Rookwood is delusional if she thinks he'll drop everything to help her with  _her_ goals and her goals alone. Severus is his own master now.

Hands in fists, he tells her, "Goodnight, Rookwood."

She smiles. "See you tomorrow, Snape."

Severus almost scoffs. He'll be making a point of avoiding her tomorrow now, that's for certain. Canceling the privacy spell on them, Severus leaves the Hufflepuff for his dorms. Severus doesn't look back, but he keeps himself light on his feet in case Rookwood tries to hex him while his back is to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	78. Overrunning: III

It may have been a couple of weeks since Wilkes and Crabbe ruined Severus's back-to-school shopping trip, but he's not forgotten and his anger hasn't cooled in the slightest. When he steps into the Slytherin's common room, he tucks away his worries with Rookwood, and Lily and Cresswell away for later consideration and starts to enact his plan. He will be able to carry it out himself on Wilkes with little trouble, seeing as they are roommates, but Crabbe is another beast altogether. She is a girl and he cannot get pasts the wards on her dorm. For her, he will need help. Severus doesn't yet know who he's going to ask, but he does have a few ideas. Unfortunately, it is too early to talk business just yet.

Most of Slytherin is still awake and they fill the common room to the brim. Younger students sit by the windows, staring out of them for a glimpse into Black Lake's inhabitants' lives as they chat with one another. Some of the older ones take up the sofas by the fireplace and brag about their summers while others sit at the tables usually used for studying to play games of Exploding Snaps and Wizard Chess.

Slytherin isn't usually a jovial place, but Severus has found over his years as a student and professor the first couple of nights back at Hogwarts the Slytherin common room holds a celebratory air. They are happy to be back, even if it's only for a little while.

Severus scans the room for Sage, but when he doesn't find him, he isn't surprised. His brother is likely on prefect duties for the evening. It's typical for the Slytherin prefects to bully the youngest pair into doing the first round of nightly tasks so the older ones can enjoy the first night back with their friends. So, instead, he joins Scabior over at the tables and plays a couple of rounds of chess with him. When the boy starts to get frustrated with losing so much, Severus waves over another third year to play with Scabior and joins Regulus and his friends by the fire to talk.

Unsurprisingly, Wilkes is among Regulus's group. Severus spends a lot of his time staring at the other, so much so, Wilkes starts to fidget. At this point, Severus pulls out a book from his robe and starts to read, only occasionally looking up and, mostly, at Wilkes. About an hour later, his dormmate decides to call it a night and goes to bed. Severus isn't worried. Whatever wards Wilkes puts on his bed to keep others out won't stop him.

Over the next couple of hours, the rest of the group disperses as well and finally, between yawns, Regulus asks, "Aren't you going to bed now too, Severus?"

He waves the boy off. "After I finish this chapter," he tells him.

With a wave, the Black spare leaves him. A little over a quarter of an hour later, Sage and Magda Pucey appear. "Hey!" Sage calls as the redhead trudges past them and up to her dorm.

Severus puts his book down. "Hello," he returns. "How was your first night as a prefect?"

His brother smiles and shrugs. "Not too bad. Magda and I whinged a bit about the Transfiguration essay we had to write over the summer, otherwise, we didn't have much to talk about and it was rather dull."

"That essay  _was_ a pain," Severus agrees.

Sage chuckles. "I know!" Turning towards their dorm, he says, "I'm knackered. How about you?"

He lifts the book he's been reading. "Just a chapter more and I suspect I will be," he replies.

His brother nods. "Okay. I'll see you at breakfast, alright?"

"Yes, okay. Good night, Sage."

"Night, Severus!"

For the next ten minutes, Severus flips through the pages of his book. He then looks up to see that only two other students are left in the common room. He's only marginally surprised to see it's Posey Duffield and Andrew Mulciber. Duffield sits on Mulciber's lap and has her face tucked into his thick neck while Mulciber has hidden one of his hands beneath Duffield's skirt.

As the two shift a little for better access to one another, Mulciber notices his looking. Severus raises an eyebrow. Mulciber sneers at him, but all the same, pulls his hand out from where he's had it and brusquely detaches himself from Duffield. Standing up, he leaves the other teenager blinking at him with a baffled expression as he straightens out his clothes.

Hardly even giving her a glance, Mulciber leaves Duffield behind and takes the steps to his dorm two at a time. Severus turns his gaze on Duffield. The teenager's freckled-face is set in an expression of disgruntlement.

"You," she growls.

He stays silent.

Standing up herself, Duffield readjusts her skirt and shirt collar as she snaps, "What're you lookin' at you pervert!"

This time, Severus scoffs. "Please. Like I'd ever be interested in  _you_."

Duffield bares her teeth. "Oh, that's right, you like  _Mudbloods_."

Severus doesn't hesitate and not even a second later, Duffield is spitting out suds and trying to rid the taste of soap from her mouth by wiping her tongue on her sleeve. Firmly, he tells her, "I will not have that word used in my presence."

"Oh, fuck you," she hisses. "Everyone knows your not as pious as you like to pretend to be!"

He rolls his eyes. "I've never tried to pretend to be anything less than what I am," Severus says (at least he hasn't in this way). "Just because I'm a Slytherin who believes Muggleborns deserve better than to be treated like the muck on our boots doesn't mean I'm two-faced." He crosses his arms. "You really ought to say away from Mulciber. He's–"

"–I know exactly what he is and I don't care. His family's got money and that's all that matters to me."

Severus stares at the teenager, a feeling of disgust welling in him. So Duffield is one of  _them_. One of the girls who'll happily marry a sadistic killer if it'll improve their status. In her case, however, he can't see Mulciber marrying her. Duffield is a little too much of a mongrel for anyone from an even slightly fanatic family to touch. "He's not going to marry you," Severus says finally.

She laughs. "I don't need him too." Eyes predatory, she tells Severus, "All I need him to do is get me up the duff. Then he'll pay me a nice little sum to keep my mouth shut and then I'll be able to leave this bloody place and never have to look back."

"Leave?" he echoes, confused.

"So you don't know everything!" Duffield jeers. "You've seen the Scabiors. They're a bunch of leeches and the few who aren't, like my mother, are the ones they suck on. One of these days, they're going to kill her and they won't even care because they're a bunch of blood-suckers." The determination in her tone mixing with excitement as she goes on, the teenager explains, "I'm not goin' to stick around to become their next cow when they kill my mother. I'm leavin' and that's it. The best way I know how is to get Mulciber or somebody with a bit of money who thinks they're too good to have me for a wife to get me in the family way."

He shakes his head. Severus understands Duffield's urge to run away, but it sounds like she is playing a very risky game. One she's far more likely to lose than win. Mulicber may pay her, but he might just as quickly curse her to miscarry, or obliviate their relationship from her memories. Even if everything goes according to her plan, what will she do with the baby? Keep it? That would be quite the mistake after all the trouble she plans to go through to become independent from her family.

Now, though, is not the time to start trying to dissuade her from her path. Right now Severus needs to convince her to help him with his revenge against Crabbe.

"Cheers, I suppose," he finally tells her. "I hope you get what you want."

Duffield narrows her eyes. "Oh really? You  _want_ me to abandon my family?"

"I don't think it's my place to tell you how terrible your idea is, that's all."

"You're damn right it's not!" she affirms with great vehemence.

He lets silence fall between them a moment. Then, he asks, "How would you like to learn a new spell?"

"In exchange for what?"

Severus grins. "Casting it on Lilith Crabbe for me, seeing as I cannot get into the girls' dorm myself."

She eyes him first, then demands, "Show me it first."

-o-O-o-

The Great Hall is abuzz with laughter and rabbiting when Wilkes walk in the next morning. Wilkes keeps his head down and tries to make himself smaller, but it does nothing to hide his new rainbow plumage as he walks over to the Slytherin table to take a seat. Severus feels even more pleased that he made a point of hiding the other fifth-year's robes so he couldn't cover the worst of his feathers behind his hood.

"Did a spell backfire on you, Wilkes?" Severus asks as the other sits down a few spots away from him. Their housemates laugh at his question and then even louder when the fifth-year's feathers puff out from his anger at the question.

When the teenager finally looks over at Severus, his eyes are poisonous. Severus doesn't bother to hide his mirth and smirks at the other. He has a feeling Wilkes might try and get him back for this, but he's going to fail. Severus grew up fending off the Marauders and taught the Weasley twins. Severus knows more prank-jinxes and hexes than any person has a right too. Whatever Wilkes tries, Severus will know how to counter – if he ever manages to catch him off guard in the first place.

Their staring contest is cut short when a new wave of guffaws and cackles fill the air. They both look towards the entrance to see Crabbe walking in on shaky, coltish giraffe legs. She holds her arms out to help balance herself as she walks to their table. When she reaches it, she stares at the benches for a moment before resignedly transfiguring a plate into a stool and placing it at the far end of the table so she can sit down and eat – albeit a little uncomfortably. Crabbe doesn't look up even once as she fills her plate and starts to eat.

Severus starts to contemplate saying something to her like he did Wilkes when Duffield, just coming arriving for breakfast herself, purposefully bumps into one of Crabbe's legs. She gasps with great exaggeration when the leg slips forward, hitting the edge of the table hard, causing Crabbe to wince. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she apologizes. Duffield looks at Crabbe's breakfast plate and remarks cuttingly, "Working on making your new legs as fat as your old ones, eh, Crabbe?"

The younger teenager turns bright red as those sitting nearby start to snicker. Now wearing a smirk, Duffield winks at Severus as she goes to take her usual place among the sixth and seventh-year group she is friends with.

"Why did Duffield just wink at you?" Sage asks in a whisper.

Severus turns his head and tells his brother, "She helped me with getting back at Crabbe for the shit she and Wilkes pulled during the summer."

"Really? Wow. I thought after how awful she was to her cousins she'd be… I don't know, not so helpful."

He eats a spoonful of his porridge and shrugs his shoulders. "I made helping me worth her time; she got to learn a new spell for her troubles."

"How long are those spells supposed to last anyway? I'm surprised they aren't in the infirmary having Madam Pomfrey fuss over them."

Severus grins at Sage. "They'll be back to normal a little after lunch. The spells aren't long-lasting, which I reckon Madam Pomfrey figured out quite quickly. There's really no reason for them to stay in the infirmary and miss out on classes because of some slight physical changes either."

Sage laughs. "You're right. If Madam Pomfrey allowed that, people would be constantly transfiguring their arms into tentacles or turning their skin into scales to get out of quizzes and exams, wouldn't they?"

He nods, chuckling himself now. "Exactly."

-o-O-o-

In near-silence Severus, Lily, and Cresswell settle in beneath the staircase leading to the Ravenclaw's dorm. Drawing out his wand as Lily and Cresswell take out parchment and quills, he puts up a mild deterrent charm to keep people from immediately noticing them beneath the stairs. When, done, he takes out his own parchment and quill and starts to write. When he's just finished with his list of possible spells that could be on the faucet in the first-floor girl's lavatory, the lanky Ravenclaw to Severus's right shifts his satchel beneath his bum and grumbles, "Remind me, why are we doing this here?"

Severus puts away his quill and sighs. "Because Rookwood isn't a team player."

"That's really not an answer," sulkily replies Cresswell. He looks down at his list after a moment, only to frown and scribble what Severus assumes is another spell.

"Oh, it definitely is," he says, glaring at the Ravenclaw.

Cresswell quickly returns the look, but before he can saying anything more, Lily sticks her head between them and blocks each other's view. "Enough of that you two," she orders. "Are you done with your lists?" asks his girlfriend, waving her list in the air, she tells them, "I am!"

"Nearly."

"Yes."

Severus and Cresswell answer together.

With a jeering edge to his tone, Severus tells the other boy, "Hurry up then Cresswell."

"I am!" he snaps, returning his attention to his list. A moment later, with brows furrowed, he writes yet another spell down. Then, he shoves it at Severus. "Alright, done," he says, "here."

Severus compares the lists, Lily's list holds eight spells, his twelve, and Cresswell's has thirteen. He then crosses out six on Lily's that are the same on his own and Cresswell's, then two on his list that Cresswell's list already includes. Then, he flips over Lily's parchment and writes down the twenty-five remaining password spells on it. Finally, he reads over it once more and ends up crossing out two that came from Cresswell's list, explaining as he does so, "I know for a fact these two were invented in the last century. We need to check the rest and see when they were created if possible. If they aren't as old or older than the founders it's highly unlikely they are the spells used on the faucet."

"Do we know the counters for any of these already?" Lily asks, leaning in on her elbows to get a better look at the list.

He nods. "Yes," he replies before writing the counters to five next to their spells. Then, he circles another three and says, "I know they have them, but I do not remember them off the top of my head."

Cresswell reaches over and points at the third to last spell. "This one doesn't really have a counter, but you can trick it into thinking you're giving it the password by saying its incantation to it backwards."

Severus writes this down. Then he pulls his parchment out from beneath Lily's and divides the remaining seventeen into three columns. Then cutting the paper up with his wand, he hands them out to Lily and Cresswell. "Each of you is responsible for researching the spells on this list and reorganizing them in order of most likely to be the spell Salazar used to least likely."

Cresswell takes his list none-too-gently. "This is dumb," he grumbles. "He probably used the same spell that's used on the portraits and the Headmaster's gargoyles."

Severus scoffs. "Yes, he used the most basic passcode spell on the faucet that leads to his  _Chamber of Secrets_."

"Why not?" argues the Ravenclaw. "It's not as if anyone speaks parseltongue and it's so simple that everyone trying to break into his Chambers would think it's any spell under the sun  _but_ that one!"

He doesn't bother to hide how much of a dunderhead he thinks Cresswell is. "Do you really believe over thousands of years not one person has figured this out until you?"

Cresswell flushes. "Well…"

"There's no harm in at least trying later, is there?" Lily pipes up.

Severus sees a warmness overcome the Ravenclaw's eyes before he looks to his girlfriend. Her face is gentle and focused on Cresswell, not him. Severus tamps down on feelings of hurt and jealousy. He's sure Lily isn't intentionally giving Cresswell doe eyes. "No," he concedes, "there is not. I just think it is  _extremely_ unlikely to be that spell. It is why everyone must do their proper research so we aren't wasting time when it comes time to break into the chambers."

"See, Dirk? Severus isn't saying it's not possible. He just has doubts." Lily glances at him, a reproving set to her brows as she says, "Though, I admit he could say it a little more nicely."

Severus starts to gather up his things and tucks his list of spells that he's in charge of snappily between the pages of one of his potions texts. Briefly, he sneers at Lily. "When lives are at risk there's no time for niceness," he tells her while getting to his feet. As she gapes, Severus briskly readjusts his robe. Finally, he concludes, "I'll see you tomorrow in potions, Lily. Do your research, Cresswell. We can regroup Saturday."

As he stalks away, his girlfriend calls, "Sev!"

He ignores her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	79. Overrunning: IV

The next morning Severus seriously contemplates skiving off potions to avoid Lily a little longer. He has a list of spells to research and whatever Horace decides to teach today the chances are Severus knows it better than the man himself. However, he's hardly out of his dorms before he's accosted by the Gryffindor. Lily doesn't look like she's well-rested and there's a definite note of displeasure to her tone when she asks, "Can we talk?"

He's very tempted to deny Lily her request. Severus doesn't want to talk to her right now, he just wants to stew. However, Severus knows refusing her request will not go over well and be detrimental in the long-run. More detrimental than the conversation to come already will be, anyway. Severus nods at Lily before he turns to Sage and tells him, "I'll catch up with you in a while, alright?"

His brother looks between the two of them, gaze assessing and lips pursed. Severus knows Sage has a thousand and one questions he wants to ask and he tries to convey he will answer them all later if he would just hurry along and leave him and Lily to it. After a moment, Sage seems to understand this. Even so, he asks, "Should I save you a seat?"

Severus sighs. He has every intention of making this as quick and painless as possible – for both of their sakes – but he knows better than to expect things will go as planned. "Probably not."

"Okay," Sage replies and with one last knowing glance, his brother hurries off to join their fellow Slytherin yearmates on their way to breakfast. A couple of them cast looks over their shoulders when Sage fits himself into their groups. Their eyes flash with interest and lips part in preparation to rabbit amongst themselves. Severus hopes Sage will find a way to shut it down before it can get out of hand. He'd prefer not to be the talk of Slytherin this week if he can help it.

With Sage now gone, Lily begins to tug on his sleeve. "Come one," she urges. "The potions classroom should be empty right now."

As he follows the Gryffindor to the potions classroom, Severus hopes that for once in his life that Horace has decided to prepare for his class early instead of leaving it until the beginning of said class. A couple of minutes later when they pass the threshold of the classroom, he does his best to squash his disappointment. Of course Severus can't be lucky enough to have one thing go the way he wants. As Lily picks her usual desk near the front, Severus casts a privacy charm over them to keep away nosey students before he joins her in taking a seat.

For a time, Lily stares at him, arms crossed, with an air of expectation around her. Severus, who's a little annoyed at her presumptuousness, ignores the obvious cues and returns her gaze with a steady one of his own, right eyebrow quirked just so as he stares back at her. He's far more patient than she and Severus will win this staring contest if nothing else today.

Lily, as he expects, breaks first. Arms falling to her side in vexation, she asks, "Why did you take off like that last night?"

Severus does nothing to stop how his lips curl into a sneer because he almost can't believe Lily. He was a  _spy_ and she's a wears-her-heart-on-her-sleeve Gryffindor. Surely she knows why he ran off so quickly? She wasn't subtle in the least last night! Leaning in, he hisses, "I don't know, why don't you tell me?"

She growls with frustration and gets to her feet. Running her hands through her hair, she paces a few steps away before turning around to face Severus once more. "Why do you always have to be such a berk?" Lily snaps. "Why can't you ever just answer a question like a normal person?"

Not one to take such insults lying down, Severus stands up and shouts, "I'm not one of your obtuse Gryffindor friends, Lily! I noticed! "

Lily's face flickers with bafflement and then unease. But she doesn't reply immediately. Instead, they fall into another silent staring contest, though, this time, their eyes are far harder and twice as vicious. Like before, Lily is the first to speak – even if it's with great and furious reluctance. "What are you talking about?" the Gryffindor question, voice quiet.

Severus shakes his head in disbelief. "Merlin, you're the obtuse one, aren't you?"

Lily says nothing, the only indication she's listening at all being the offended narrowing of her eyes into little more than slits. Severus briefly is reminded of Nagini and how her eyes were similarly thinned before she struck. Unbidden, his hand goes to his neck. He takes a moment to remind himself there's no danger of dying here. Lily would  _never_. No matter what he says to her.

"You fancy Cresswell," he spits.

Eyes now blown wide with shock, confusion, and… fear? (Severus isn't quite certain he's identifying it right with the other emotions swirling in her green gaze) "No, I don't," she denies.

He scoffs. "Then why were you looking at him like someone dosed your pumpkin juice with Amortentia last night?"

"No… I wasn't–"

"–I know you said you didn't want anything serious, but I thought we were keeping this exclusive–"

"–We are!"

Severus levels Lily with a look of patent disbelief.

Her shoulders collapse, her chin drops, and her hair cascades forward to hide her face from him. "I didn't mean to," she whispers.

He  _knew_ she liked him, but to hear her say it aloud… It's different. Severus sits back down and says nothing – Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to. His throat feels stuck and swollen like he's in the midst of an allergic reaction and Severus doesn't think he'd be able to do so much as cough if he wanted. So he waits. Lily will talk soon enough, he's sure of that. Guilt can loosen a tongue as much as it can stay it.

"I didn't intend to fall for Dirk. At first, I just wanted to help him. What he's going through right now… It's not too different from what I went through with James. We both started this all thinking somewhere down the line we'd be able to pick things back up with our spouses and continue the lives we had with them before. Oh, Severus, I know you try, but you don't  _understand_ how much it hurts to realize that we can never have what we had again."

Lily pulls her hair back away from her face and meets his gaze for a moment. "It's like… It's like they died  _again,_ but you can never escape them because they became a ghost – one who haunts you. And worst of all, they aren't maliciously following you around or trying to put on the airs of being living, they just don't  _know_. And you can't say anything because they wouldn't understand or you'd scare them or hurt them and you  _love_ them too much…"

Shaking with suppressed sobs, Lily whispers, "I don't even have to  _speak_ with him, sometimes. Dirk just gets it. Gets  _me_. It reminds me of what I had with James, the love we shared… And I've been afraid I'd never experience that feeling with anyone again, but it's happening right now, with him and I… I'm falling for him."

Severus watches tears slide down Lily's cheeks in silence. Half of his wishes to join her and the other wants to worsen them. But what would either action accomplish? At this point, nothing. Shifting his gaze away for a moment, he counts the stones in the wall until he feels calmer. Then, quietly, he asks, "Why did you agree to date me if you're falling in love with him?"

"You're my best friend and I already love you. I thought… I don't know, it sounds silly to me now, but I thought if I dated you I could learn to  _really_ love you like you deserve before what I feel for Dirk could consume me." She wipes the tears from her face with the heel of her hand. "But I was wrong." Taking a large, shaky breath, she admitted, "And now, I've bungled things with you and I'm probably going to ruin things with Dirk too because he's still grieving Mei and I don't think I can keep quiet about how I feel for much longer."

He wants to tell her yes, she's cocked up everything and that she is going to be alone for the rest of her days at the rate she's going, but, instead, he sighs in resignation. Defeat weighs on his shoulders like a pillory. Once again, something he's wanted more than anything in all of the world is slipping through his fingers and he can't see a way to hold on. Severus is starting to feel that he will never do enough penance for all of his wrongs to have fate finally shine her favor on him.

"You haven't messed everything up," Severus tells her through his clenched teeth. "If you haven't noticed, Cresswell is just as enamored with you as you are him. He's just not done anything because we've been seeing each other. "

First, a look of shock overcomes Lily, which is then quickly followed by relief and hope, and finally, guilt.

Severus seizes on the opportunity to lay out what's going to happen between the two of them now. He can't do this anymore. He's tired and wants away. Maybe, now that he's gotten a taste of just how impossible he and Lily are he can finally kill the kernel of hope that's always resided in him that in another life, another world, he and Lily could actually work. "We're done, by the way. Do what you will with Cresswell now, but I don't want to hear about it, and, preferably, not see it either. If it were feasible, I'd say I want you to stay away too, but I know it's not. We have too much that has to be done for us to ever  _not_ be in each other's lives at this point. So, instead, I ask you to leave me alone unless it's about the better world we're crafting." He hardens his gaze as he concludes, "Do you understand?"

She nods, fresh tears coming to her eyes. "Yes."

"Good."

With a wave of his wand, he cancels the privacy spells on the classroom and leaves. Once out, he checks the time. It seems at least this has gone according to 's still a little time left for breakfast in the Great Hall. Maybe he can find Sage and convince him to cut class with him so he can someone to keep him company as he wallows. Perhaps Sage will even want to join him. He's got a bit of a crush on Cresswell, doesn't he? Surely hearing him and Lily are on their way to being a couple will disappoint him as well – even if the two of them never had a chance at anything.

-o-O-o-

While eating his toast, Sage pays little mind to his housemates' chatter. He has more pressing concerns, like what it is Lily and Severus might be discussing. Lily didn't look particularly happy when she asked to speak with Severus and his brother seemed quite resigned when he agreed to her request. He wonders if it's just another tiff or if this will be it for them. A selfish part of him hopes this will be the end of Severus and Lily. It will make the coming year much easier if Severus isn't dating and spending all of his time with a Muggleborn. All the attention he gives to Scabior is bad enough.

"–It's stupid! How is knowing Muggles like to get their information from a telly-vision going to help me in the future?" Pucey complains.

Sage turns his head.

Wilkes makes a noise of sympathetic agreement. "It makes them sound lazy if you ask me," he replies.

He frowns at the other teenager, a smart remark about who's really the lazy one forming on the tip of his tongue.

"Yes, you're right!" Crabbe exclaims. "Is it really that much more difficult to go about it the normal way and  _read_?"

Sage opens his mouth to asks Crabbe if that's true, then why does he never see her reading? When Pucey sighs loudly.

Head in her hands as she glares hatefully at her half-eaten eggs, she grumbles, "Muggle studies is  _useless_."

"I think it's interesting," Sage says a moment later, thinking of the Muggle station their professor plays for them on her Wireless at the end of every class for five to ten minutes. He doesn't know how she managed to get the Wireless to play Muggle stations, but Sage loves listening to it. It sounds so foreign sometimes, like when it talks about traffic (Merlin, is he glad for apparation), but strikingly familiar at other times, such as when the announcer drones on about the weather. Sometimes, he daydreams about working for the Muggle Wireless and helping the announcers organize their music and plan out what jokes they'll say about the news headline of the day. Sage knows there's not even a snowball's chance in Hell he'll ever get to work for the Muggles, but, maybe, he could do the same for the Magical Wireless someday.

The three look at him, and then at each other. They erupt into loud, eye-drawing laughter. "Of course you do, Muggle-lover," Wilkes jeers.

Sage flushes from embarrassment and anger. He's  _not_ a Muggle-lover! Sage only likes their wireless. Everything else he hates, just like his brother, his mother, and Great Uncle Demitiri. It was the Muggles and their tricks that stole away Aunt Eileen and lead her to marry a man who hurt her and Severus for  _years_  before they got them back. Sage is proud of what Boyd did to get back at the Muggles for how they mistreated Aunt Eileen and Severus. His only wish is that they'd done it sooner. Perhaps then Aunt Eileen wouldn't have been so brain-washed into loving the Muggles that she wanted revenge on Adam Parkinson for laying the killing curse on Severus's father.

"No! That's not it at all," he snaps. "It's  _interesting_  because it shows you what's important to them and what their weaknesses are! Haven't you paid any attention to how much they talk about their automobiles and motorbikes and tube stations on the Wireless? Most of them use it to get  _anywhere_ in their towns. If someone really wanted to teach the pests a lesson, attacking their transportation during their peak hours of commute would be the best way to do it!" he argues.

Wilkes and Crabbe snort in disbelief, but Pucey looks a little thoughtful and a couple of Seventh years to her right are staring at him with appraising eyes. "That's quite the observation, Montague," Walden Macnair remarks, green eyes keen. "What do you think, Lex?"

Sage shifts his gaze to Alexander Pyrites. The dark-skinned upper-year flashes his friend a conspiratorial grin. "He's downright brilliant, figuring out something like that." He looks over at Sage then. "It's good to know there's some truth in all that waxing of poetic his brother does about him too."

His mouth goes dry. Sage tries to think of a time when Pyrites and his brother may have talked or where they may know each other from. He knows they can't be old schoolmates, Sage never saw them together when Boyd was at Hogwarts and his brother never talked about him either. Could it be that Boyd works with a relative of Pyrites? Sage doesn't think so. Lex Pyrite is the only Pyrite he knows under thirty and he's certain both of Pyrites's parents work for the Ministry Press and nowhere near his brother's department in the Ministry.

It leaves only one possibility for where the two could have crossed paths.

His stomach's contents begin to flip and Sage wonders if Macnair met his brother that way too or if his older sister or cousins introduced them at some other point. It probably doesn't even matter, MacNair's father's a Death Eater, as is his sister's fiancé, and two of his three cousins; by next summer he'll probably be sporting the same mark as the rest of his family.

Even though all he wants to do is be sick, Sage nods at the upper-years and offers a brief, tight-lipped smile before returning his attention to his breakfast. As he pokes at his uneaten ham, Sage hopes the two don't say anything to their contacts in the Lord's group. He doesn't like the thought that he could end up being the one who planted the seed to attack a bunch of innocent, unaware people in such catastrophic way. Sage had been trying to show his yearmates he wasn't a Muggle-lover, that was all. He doesn't really want anyone to take his hypothetical plan under real consideration.

Before his fear can really consume him, however, Severus appears.

"Can you make room?" the other asks.

Sage scoots over immediately. He's relieved Severus found time to make it to breakfast; his timing is perfect too. Instead of worrying about what Macnair and Pyrites will or will not do with his idea, he can distract himself by asking Severus about what he and Lily talked about. His brother sits down, but makes no move to start filling a plate with breakfast food or to pour himself a glass of pumpkin juice. Instead, he stares almost unseeingly at the grooves in the tabletop.

Nervously, Sage lays a hand on Severus's shoulder a moment. "Are you… Alright?"

His brother lifts his gaze. "Hm? Oh, I suppose." He reaches for the pitcher of water and gets himself a cup. As he pours it, he says, "Lily and I are done, by the way."

"What?" he says, surprised at how plain Severus is being.

He just nods. "She fancies someone else more and I decided it wasn't right we continue dating."

"Severus, I'm sorry–"

"–Who she fancies is Cresswell, by the way." Severus takes a sip of his water and meets his gaze. "I'm quite sure he likes her just as much as she likes him," he adds.

Sage ignores the small pang his own heart gives. He knew from the moment he admitted to fancying the boy the chances of Cresswell ever being interested in him in return were slim. What he's feeling right now is nothing on what Severus must be going through. He and Lily were an actual couple and did all the things together that it entails. He claps a hand on his brother's shoulder and draws him close. "I'm sorry."

Severus sighs and leans in briefly, seemingly trying to gather strength from Sage's touch. When he pulls back, he asks, "Feel like skiving off potions and commiserating with me?"

He knows he shouldn't, he's a prefect and really ought to be setting a good example for their fellow students. But… Severus needs him to be there for him more than his classmates need to see Sage being a model student in potions. So, he nods and says, "Yeah, let's go."


	80. Overrunning: V

When Cresswell finishes saying their last possible counter-incantation they wait for something to change about the faucet. Unfortunately, as the seconds tick by, they realize nothing is going to happen. Cresswell balls up his list, throws it away from them and grumbles, "Well, that was a failure."

"Accio Cresswell's list." The crumpled parchment zips into Severus's waiting hand. Turning, he shoves it into the Ravenclaw's chest. "Don't leave this anywhere someone else could find it," he says. "Especially not in here. Someone might become  _curious_." His thoughts going to Rookwood in particular as he finishes his warning. Severus has seen her lurking near him out of the corner of his while going about his business and, sometimes, caught her following Cresswell and Lily. She knows she's been cut out of most of their activities and is doing her best to find out what they are doing by spying on them.

Severus is thankful for his own double-agent days as it makes it easy to spot what she's doing and stay a step ahead of her.

"Sorry," the other mutters, sounding surprisingly sincere, as he takes it from Severus and tucks it into the pocket of his trousers.

He nods. "It might not seem like it would make sense to someone else if they picked it up, but you never know."

"What now?" Lily asks as she hops up to sit on one of the sinks' ledges.

Severus sighs irritably. Isn't it obvious what they have to do next? Since none of the counter-spells they used worked, they will have to go back to the library and start searching for more in earnest. " _Clearly_ we need to go to the library and start researching more passcode spells from the founders time."

Lily's mouth quirks downward in a frown for a moment and it almost looks as if she'll snip back at Severus, but, instead, she turns her gaze away from him. Soon after Lily begins to drum her fingers on her knee. Her lips part slightly as a look of contemplation comes over her features. Finally, she says, "I think we need to start reading up on Horcruxes themselves and see if we can't find another way to destroy them."

He wants to disagree and say that they should be focusing on this avenue until they reach its end if only to spite Lily, but Severus is relieved she wants to look into their other options as well. Severus would very much like to avoid going into the Chamber of Secrets and having to face the Basilisk beneath. Shifting where he stands, Severus crosses his arms and reminds her, "Information on them that's more than a passing mention will be in the restricted section. We can sneak in, but I only have a slight idea which ones might have something on Horcruxes and we can only take one or two at a time without drawing the attention of Madam Pince and the professors."

She stares at him, an uncertain light coming to her eyes. "Actually…" she starts, drawing out the word as she does so, "I was thinking perhaps we should talk to your grandfather and see if he knows anything about Horcruxes."

"His  _grandfather_?" Cresswell mumbles off to the side.

Severus ignores him and turns away from the two slightly. He rubs his hands up and down his arms a moment as he considers Lily's idea. He isn't keen on the it given the old man's past history of trying to take control of things because he thinks he knows better than Severus. He can almost see Demitri finding a snake animagus to imperius so he can open the Secret of Chamber for himself and try to retrieve the Basilisk poison without ever consulting them on his plan. Even so, Lily may be right that it's time they involve him again. When his grandfather looked into the Death Eaters for himself, who knows what else he found out? Maybe he learned something about how to destroy Horcruxes, or where another might be located. And even if it never came up, he should be able to easily look into them for Severus without raising too much suspicion.

Decision made, he turns to face Lily and agrees, "I'll write him tomorrow that'd I like to see him in Hogsmeade for our first-weekend trip to discuss Horcruxes."

She deflates a fraction with dismay. "That's not for another week."

He scowls and tells her, "I'm not going to asks suspicious questions in a letter. You never know what could happen to it between Hogwarts and his home!"

"I'm sorry, I know, I just…" she trails off and shakes her head. "I want it  _done_ , you know?" She shivers. "I hate how that…  _thing_ is so close to students. It's dangerous and I loathe to think what would happen should one of your dormmates decide to challenge himself by breaking into your trunk."

Severus bristles. The diary is  _secure_ and no one is going to make it past the spells on his trunk. He balls his fists and prepares to tell Lily this for the  _millionth_ time when Cresswell huffs loudly and moves almost in between him and Lily.

"Hey, it's great  _you two_ have decided this is what  _we_ are doing next," he jabs. "But do you mind telling me why we're talking to your grandfather about something as dangerous as Horcruxes?" demands Cresswell while he stretches himself to his full height to loom over them. He's so transparent in his attempt to try and intimidate Severus he nearly laughs. Darkening his expression, he says, "Aren't we keeping this all between us?"

Lily and he exchange a look. Severus raises an eyebrow at her, silently inquiring if she is going to explain his grandfather to Cresswell or if she wants him to. She knows more than him who Cresswell will take the news best from. After a moment, Lily nods, accepting the responsibility. "Mr. Prince has taken an Unbreakable Vow," she explains out of order, "so he can't say anything. And he only knows about Severus and I. We haven't been keeping him much up-to-date, truthfully…" she tapers off then, seemingly unsure what to say next now that she's gotten through her assurances that their secret is safe and none of them are in danger of being found out by the world at large.

"Why did you tell him anything in the first place?"

Lily opens and closes her mouth a couple of times before she calls, "Sev? Maybe you'd like to…? It's really your story and I don't want to end up telling more than you're comfortable with."

He just barely resists the urge to roll his eyes, Lily only knows as much as he ever wanted her to know in the first place and  _that_ is how much he's comfortable with others knowing. All the same, Severus takes over for the Gryffindor. "I needed his help with my mum. After my dad was murdered she went a little…  _barmy_. She was set on avenging my dad and that would have been devastating for not only her, but for the Montagues and myself. To stop her from going through with her plans, I needed my grandfather's assistance in creating a false memory to replace the one she had of my dad's death. The false memory was created from a template of the memory I have of my dad's passing from our first go. It was nigh impossible to not explain things to him at that point."

Cresswell looks a little mollified by the story, but still unhappy. "This feels like something you should have mentioned earlier than now."

Severus runs his hands through his hair and sighs. "Yes, maybe we should have," he agrees. If he and Lily are ever ousted because his grandfather finds a loophole or decides his life is worth less than the world knowing the truth of them, then Cresswell should know who to run very far away from. And he should have known that from the start, Severus sees now.

The Ravenclaw blinks at his easy agreement. "I'm glad we're on the same page, I guess," he replies.

"Do you think we should tell Rookwood too?" Lily asks.

Severus glowers at his reflection in one of the bathroom's mirror. "We are best off if she knows less at this time, not more. When it comes time go into the Chambers or do some other act to destroy the Horcrux we will include her." Sometimes, Severus still feels that's too much involvement when it comes to the Hufflepuff, but he worries if they don't, what little trust she does have in them will disappear altogether. If that happens, Severus doesn't know what Rookwood might do to ensure what she wants happens.

"If you're certain–"

"–I am," Severus says almost over the top of Lily.

A quiet falls over the three of them; their task for the night completed (if unsuccessfully) and the next steps going forward plotted. With nothing more needing to be said, Severus scans the bathroom to ensure nothing is out of place before he tells them, "Shall we meet in the library tomorrow say four to start researching more spells?"

"All of us?" Cresswell questions, a note of surprise in his tone.

He nods, not sure why the Ravenclaw sounds so shocked. They've researched together before, haven't they? Perhaps not, he realizes after a moment to recollect. At least, not intentionally. "Yes, initially. I want to make sure we don't end up all searching the same two or three books for spells."

"It sounds like a perfect plan," Lily proclaims as she hops down from the sink she's perched on. "I'll see you two tomorrow. I need to return to my dorm. The Gryffindor prefects are having an early morning meeting about contraband and I don't want to be falling asleep through it." Waving as she goes, she calls behind her, "Goodnight, boys."

Severus raises an eyebrow at her rather abrupt declaration and departure. Reluctantly, he concludes it most likely has to do with her not wanting to come off as lingering and upset him after he asked her to leave him be outside of their affairs to better the world. It's actually a relief to know she's listening to him for once and he hopes she continues as time goes by.

He starts to leave himself when Cresswell calls, "Hey, can you wait up a minute?"

Unease starts to prickle on the back of Severus's neck and he wonders if Lily's leaving isn't as innocuous as he first thought. Imbuing his voice with more nonchalance than he feels, Severus faces the Ravenclaw and says, "Yes, of course. What is it you want?"

The other scrubs a hand across his forehead. "I…" he bites his lip. "Lily and I talked after you two…" he makes a little gesture to indicate the breaking up of their relationship. "I know you probably don't want to hear this from me, but I am sorry."

"You're right, I don't," Severus growls, beginning to turn away from Cresswell. He doesn't want the Ravenclaw's pity.

"Hey! Wait!" Cresswell cries.

Severus almost ignores him, but decides in the end to face the other. He doesn't need the Ravenclaw hating him more than he already does. In spite of this understanding, he doesn't bother to hide his annoyance. Severus crosses his arms and glowers at the other. "What?" he snaps. "What can you have to possibly say that I  _want_ to hear? And from  _you_?"

He winces and looks down. "Nothing, maybe," he admits. "I just… Look, you have every right to be upset–"

"– _Thanks_ ," Severus cuts in, rolling his eyes as he does so.

Undeterred, the other goes on, "She spoke to me, you know. Before you two started dating. We… We were already starting to fancy one another and she wanted to know if I could commit myself to her. I couldn't – can't – do that. Not now. I'm not sure if I ever could, even. All I can think is if there was ever a chance to be with Mei again I would take it no matter what. Lily didn't want to be in a relationship where she knew there's a possibility it could fall apart in a moment.

"She didn't mean to treat you like her second-choice. She had every intention of someday becoming serious with you. She knew you loved her and would stand by her until the end and that is what she wanted and still wants. Someone who will be with her until the end. Lily just wanted to take things slow with you so she could properly fall in love with you. But instead…"

"Lily fell even more in love with you," Severus completes.

Cresswell's shoulders slump and he doesn't seem quite so tall anymore. " _We_ fell more in love."

Severus gather his thoughts. "What now?" he asks.

He shakes his head. "I don't know. Lily doesn't, either, I think. I don't want to start a relationship with her if I can't commit myself to her like she wants and deserves and I think she's in the same place. She doesn't want to start anything if I can't promise myself to her."

"So you're in limbo," he states.

The Ravenclaw barks a laugh. "Yeah, I suppose we are." Offering a half-smile, half-grimace he tells Severus, "Thanks for listening. I know you probably didn't want to."

Severus hadn't. But he can't say it isn't vindicating to know that Lily and Cresswell are no happier now than they were before he and Lily broke things off. Once again, Severus has found misery does love company. He dips his chin at the Ravenclaw. "See you tomorrow, Cresswell."

"Yeah. Goodnight, I guess."

-o-O-o-

As Severus was to speak the password to the Slytherin's dorms, from the shadows steps out Rookwood. He can't say he is surprised. This isn't the first time she's done this since he started to limit which meetings she's allowed to attend. "Hello, Rookwood," he says in a bored tone.

Her eyes tighten with irritation. "Back from another palaver with your girlfriend and her gentleman friend?"

"Lily and I are no more a couple than she and Cresswell are," Severus tells her through clenched teeth for what feels to be the eightieth time.

Rookwood scoffs. "Do you really believe that? Trust me, they're doing  _something_ together."

Severus should know better than to give any credence to her words, but he has his own doubts and fears even now and her words are stirring them right back up. He stares straight ahead a moment, attempting to calm down and neutralize his features before he looks at her. When Severus is certain his worries won't show on his face, he looks at Rookwood.

She stares back, brown eyes angry and searching. She's looking for an opening to hurt him even more, he knows, and Severus fixes his countenance into a mask of stone in response. Finally, when her gaze loses some it's hostility, he asks, "Was there something you wanted?"

"I know what spell was used on the faucet and I know the counter too."

He blinks. "Do you now?" he questions, not bothering to hide his doubt from her.

"Grandmother spent an extensive amount of my father and uncle's Hogwarts years collecting relics and antiques from the Founder's time. She also did a lot of research on the witches and wizards as well. She has a draft for a book she never quite got around to publishing gathering dust in her home too." Rookwood looks down a moment and reaches into her robe. A moment later, she pulls out a thick stack of bound parchment. "Until I asked to read it, anyway."

"Again, is there something you wanted?" Severus asks as his mind spins. Should he give whatever it is Rookwood wants to her in return for the spell? Or should he refuse on principle? Or should he wait until he's talked to his grandfather to take her up on her offer one way or another?

She puts it back in her robe. Then, glaring at him, she tells Severus, "I want to know everything you do. From when you began your time as a Death Eater until you died. And I insist I be allowed in all of your conferences with Cresswell and Evans and be kept in the know about what you all are planning." She points at him. "You have a week to make your decision, Snape."

With that, she turns heel and leaves him.

Severus stares after Rookwood, saying nothing. The week to decide is strange and surprisingly generous. Though, he's curious what she might do when the week is over and he has not made a decision? Would she go into the Chamber of Secrets on her own? Stop speaking to him? Reveal them all to the world? There are a plethora of possibilities and Severus cares for none of them.

He decides he will have his decision made by next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	81. Overrunning: VI

Severus contemplates telling Lily and Cresswell about his encounter with Rookwood the next day when they sit down to research. After all, what they're about to do is probably a waste of time if Rookwood really knows what spell it is that's on the faucet and how to counter it as well. Yet he doesn't. He hopes instead they'll find the spell for themselves and be able to unlock the Chambers before Severus has to make his decision.

After creating yet another list of possible charms and counters to test out on the faucet, Severus turns to Lily and asks, "Do you think Sirius and the rest would let me take the map for the day on Thursday?"

"Yes," Lily answers, brows knitting together. "But why?"

Easily, he fibs, "Demitri cannot meet this weekend, but he has time on Thursday." Actually, Severus requested the old man meet him Thursday afternoon, but he has no plans to tell her or Cresswell that part.

Lily smiles with a palpable sort of relief. "That's brilliant! I'm sure you won't, but… Don't get caught sneaking out and in Hogsmeade, alright?"

Severus nods. It's annoying she insists on warning him, but at this point, he doesn't think Lily can help herself. Her worry simply gets the better of her and it's easier if he just agrees rather than make it a point to bicker about. "I won't," he tells her.

Tension floods out of her shoulders as she starts to pick up the books they'd been studying to put away. "So when do you want to test these out?"

"Tomorrow?" he suggests. "Does that work for you? Cresswell?"

Cresswell blinks as if he didn't expect Severus to consult him, but Lily nods as she turns her back on them. "I'm free," she answers.

"Well, Cresswell?" Severus asks again when the Ravenclaw doesn't answer.

He dips his chin. "That's fine. After curfew?"

"When else?" he snarks unthinkingly.

Instead of frowning or sighing at his tone, however, Cresswell snorts. "Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question."

It's Severus's turn to blink in surprise and when he glances over to Lily as she sits back down with him to finish their meeting, her eyes are a brighter shade of green than they have been in days.

-o-O-o-

"Here, but I  _need_ it back by tonight, understand?" Sirius tells him as he holds out the Marauder's Map for Severus to take.

Nodding, he starts to reach for it, only to have his friend pull the map away from him. Crossing his arms and frowning with a surprising amount of sobriety, Sirius repeats, "Do you understand?"

Severus rolls his eyes. "Yes, I understand. I wish to keep you from Remus tonight no more than you wish to stay away from him."

His friend sputters, "W-What?"

"Sirius, he's almost never at dinner the night of the full moon and usually misses all of his morning classes the day following. It's  _obvious_."

The Gryffindor gapes at him for a long moment before saying, "You… How long…?"

He shrugs. "A while."

"D'you think anyone else knows?" he asks while he twists the fingers of his left hand with his right.

"I reckon not too many do," Severus answers. "Most are very absorbed in their own lives with little energy to expend on others'. And those who do likely don't believe  _he's_ the one with the disease–"

"–It's not a disease, it's a curse!" Sirius breaks in, half-shouting.

Severus scoffs. As far as he's concerned lycanthropy stopped being a curse when those afflicted started being able to pass it along to others through blood and saliva. "Call it what you will, but I don't believe they think he's the werewolf. I'm sure they think the headmaster wouldn't dare to endanger students like that and instead one of Remus's parents are infected. It is quite common for werewolves who cage themselves to do some very irreparable damage to their bodies while in fits of bloodlust. Those who suspect anything most likely reckon he returns home in case his parent doesn't make it through the night."

"That's alright, I guess," Sirius says after a pause. Then, quieter, he asks again, "You really think no one else knows?"

He claps a hand on his friend's shoulder and slips the map out of his unresisting hand. "No, and if they do, they don't care enough to even start a rumor about Remus. So, don't worry, alright?" Severus takes a step back and raises the map in the air. "I'll have this back by dinner, okay? Now, I really must go before I'm late."

-o-O-o-

When Severus steps into the Three Broomsticks, Madam Rosmerta's frowning reflection meets him from behind the bar. However, instead of asking him what class he's supposed to be in right now, she goes back to counting her inventory. He shifts his gaze away from and starts to look over the pub. There is an overtired mother and three talkative children sitting in a booth towards the back and a few tables away from them an old man smokes as he reads a paper, completely oblivious to all. To his right, he spies his grandfather. He's not notcied Severus at all, as his gaze is fixed on something outside. He tries to see what, but with the hazy atmosphere and the glare from the sun on the window, he can't tell.

Shrugging, he walks over to the old man and slips into the booth across from him.

His grandfather's eyes snap to him. Light and mischievous, Demitri says to him, "Hello, Severus." He smirks. "Every time we meet you look more a man than before."

Severus suppresses the urge to roll his eyes and replies with just a little bite in an overall monotone, "I don't think I'll ever be able to look in a mirror without experiencing vertigo from the wrongness of my appearance."

Demitri shakes his head. "…You never can take a kind word lying down, can you, lad?"

He sniffs and turns his head to look back over at Rosmerta. She's eyeing him and Demitri with no small amount of suspicion. He wonders if she's going to call Hogwarts about him being at the Broomsticks. He hopes not. The woman doesn't look much past twenty and surely she hasn't put her own Hogwarts days so far behind her she'd be so strict about following its rules. Returning his attention to his grandfather, he sneers, "I don't know what you mean."

"How is Hogwarts treating you?"

Severus cocks his head at the sudden change of topic. "Fine," he answers. "How's Mum?"

"Vesta visits often and says she's been little morose now that you've gone back to school, but Ichabod looks well enough, so she's not too concerned yet," he tells him.

"That's good," Severus says with relief. "Did she tell you she's submitted an article to Witch Weekly as well?"

His grandfather nods. "Yes, she even showed me it when I stopped by for tea earlier this week. It was quite good, I think the chances are high it will be in the magazine."

Severus lets his lips quirk with the start of a smile. "I'm glad."

"…Now that we've gotten pleasantries out of the way, what exactly are we meeting about today, Severus?" questions his grandfather as he leans forward onto the table with his arms crossed and eyebrows set in a furrow for serious, thoughtful discussion.

He indicates for Demitri to wave his wand and cast a privacy spell on them and their table. His grandfather does so. Feeling it's now secure enough to speak, Severus asks, "How much do you know about Horcruxes?"

"Very little," the old man admits. "I've heard about them in passing a time or two over the years. In fact, it was just last year–" he stops. "Is this connected to your vanquishing the Dark Lord business?"

He nods. "We've got one of his Horcruxes and I believe there's another in the castle I can retrieve should I so choose as well."

Demitri falls back into the booth, blue eyes large with shock. "The Lord has  _two_ Horcruxes?"

"More than that, actually."

"Merlin, Morgana, and Mordred!" the old man exclaims, bringing a hand to cover his mouth. Through his fingers, he mutters with no small amount of dejection and dismay, "That man was mad even before he split his soul, wasn't he?"

"Very," agrees Severus.

"The more I learn about him…" trails off Demitri, giving a terse shake of his head as he does so.

Severus silently counts to five and gives his grandfather a moment to quiet his thoughts before he gently says, "There was a reason I asked if you knew anything."

"And what reason is that, lad?"

He eyes the old man a moment.

Demitri raises an eyebrow with an insistent air.

With a soft exhale, Severus gives in and inquires, "Do you know any ways to destroy a Horcrux?"

"No, I can't say I do," the old man replies with an apologetic tone.

He sighs to himself and mumbles, "It was worth asking…"

"Perhaps I can help you find a way to destroy a Horcrux, however? I imagine the literature on them is rather sparse at Hogwarts."

"I know of at least a few books that mention them in some length," Severus informs Demitri. "Though, I don't know  _what_ it says about them. They're all in the Restricted Section and as I told Lily, we can't take more than a tome or two at a time without raising Irma's suspicions."

The old man summons from his pocket a diary and a quill. "Give me the titles and authors. I'll look into all of them and more for you and let you know if I find anything."

Severus rattles off the titles for the old man, who hurries to write them down. When done, he gets to his feet. "Thank you for meeting with me. Now, I really must be going. I promised Sirius to have his map back to him before dinner." And leave before Madam Rosmerta decides she's tired of giving him odd looks and goes to alert Albus of his truancy. However, before he can go, his grandfather puts a hand on his wrist.

"Must every meeting between us always be business?" he demands. "Surely you can stay a little longer and have some tea with me."

He shakes his head. "No, I really have to go," he tells Demitri. Hesitantly, half-heartedly, he offers, "But… The next we meet it can be for tea?"

The old man sighs. "Alright, I'm holding you to that," he agrees. "It was good to see you, lad. Travel safely."

"Thank you."

He hurries out of the Three Broomsticks once Demitri lets him go and pulls up the hood of his robe once he's outside. While retracing his path from earlier, Severus swerves to the right very suddenly when he rounds the corner of a shop in an effort to avoid an elderly witch and her slightly younger friend chatting in the middle of the street. As he does so, Severus ends up clipping a passing witch and sending them and her purchases careening to the ground.

"Sorry!" she exclaims.

As he helps her gather her things, Severus tells her, "It was my fault."

"No, no, I wasn't paying my surroundings any mi–" she stops when Severus hands her things to her.

He grins. "Hello, Clara."

Smiling back at him, she greets, "Severus! How lovely it is to see you."

As the two of them get to their feet and Clara readjusts her purchases so they are balanced in one arm, Severus asks, "How are you?"

"Well, thank you." She gestures to one of her parcels; a parcel Severus only caught a glimpse of, but knows is holding a dress or a cloak. "Clarence's brother, Edward, has invited us to his wedding next week. I decided to have Gladrags make me something to wear since they did such a lovely job with the last dress I wore to a wedding."

He raises his eyebrows. "That's quite short notice."

Clara bites her lips. "They… received some news earlier this month and decided to put a bit of a rush on things."

"Up the duff, is she?"

Her cheeks pinkened and she dipped her chin. "They're happy about it," she says, "all things considered."

"I suppose that's good," he replies before lapsing into a bit of silence. After a moment, he thinks to ask, "How's Benjy? And… His grandfather? You're living with him, aren't you?"

Clara brightens at the question. "Benjy's expecting a promotion in the new year. His supervisor is very impressed his work. I'm very proud of him. And Lewis is a bit poorly right now from a chest infection, but the healers say with a little more rest and he'll be just fine."

"It sounds like the three of you are doing well."

"We really are. How are you? …Your family?" she inquires, wincing a little on the word "your" in "your family". It reminds Severus not too long ago they were Clara's family too.

Politely, he ignores this and answers. "It's OWLs year for me, so I'm already on my way to being up to my ears in essays and projects. Mum and I moved into a cottage in Scotland and got a dog over the summer, it's a liver-colored flattie. His name is Ichabod." Severus pats his pockets and apologizes, "I'm sorry to say I don't have a picture of him on me. Perhaps another time I'll be able to show you what he looks like, he's a very handsome pup."

"I'd love that," Clara replies, smiling. "Benjy and I have been discussing getting a pet ourselves." Her smile turns a bit cheeky. "As a trial run for children, you know?"

He snorts. "I recommend something with short hair. Ichabod is amazing, but he's left every centimeter of our home is covered in hair."

She laughs. "I'll keep that in mind the next time Benjy and I talk about pets."

Severus clears his throat. "As for the family… They are about the same. Vesta is well-meaning, but irksome as ever, Sage is much in the same position as me with the added bonus of new prefect duties, and Violet and Boyd are happy and still in their honeymoon phase from what I can tell."

Clara nods, chin quivering ever so slightly. "Good. I'm glad everyone is doing just fine. You'll give my congratulations to Sage, won't you? Making prefect is quite the accomplishment."

"I will," he promises. Or he will try to, anyhow. Severus isn't quite sure how Sage will take well-wishing from Clara. He always looks uncertain the few times Severus has mentioned her since she eloped with Benjy; Severus has a feeling Sage was told not to talk about her with anyone.

Clara checks her watch. "I wish I could talk more, but I have to clean the house up a little. Benjy's parents are stopping by for dinner and to see how Lewis is doing."

"That's quite alright," replies Severus. "The longer I'm on the street, the more likely someone is going to report me to Headmaster Dumbledore for truancy."

The woman gasps softly. "Oh, yes, it's Thursday! My, what are you thinking, skiving off class?"

"Demitri and I had to talk about some things in person. I have Lily taking notes for me, so I will be alright."

Clara shakes her head. "I probably should scold you, but I'd rather end our run-in on a happy note." Leaning in, she briefly hugs Severus. "I'll write you, okay? Just so you have my address in case you need anything, or even if you just want to talk. It's been lovely, but I must go. Goodbye, Severus!"

"Bye, Clara," he echoes, waving at her as she starts to walk in the opposite direction of Hogwarts.

For a moment, he watches her, and, then, still wearing a small grin, continues on his return path to school at double-pace. Severus has every intention of keeping his promise to Sirius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	82. Overrunning: VII

Perhaps it had been unrealistic of him, but Severus hoped strongly his grandfather would find something he could use to destroy the Horcrux before he had to see Rookwood and tell her his decision. When the days pass and the hour draws closer, he realizes he really will have to make a choice. As he ponders whether getting the spell from the Hufflepuff in exchange for sharing his life story is worth it, Severus realizes this decision doesn't have to be up entirely to him – nor should it be.

Lily and Cresswell are going to want to know where he found the spell. He supposes he can say it's one sent to him by his grandfather, but then he'll have to write Demitri about it and ask he lie should Lily or Cresswell should they ever ask him about it. Which will no doubt prompt the man to ask  _why_ and… Severus has an annoying suspicion if he's not forthcoming enough he'll go over him to ask Lily to see if she knows. It has far too much potential to unravel and turn into a convoluted mess for Severus's tastes. With great reluctance, he decides to talk to Lily and Cresswell about it during their next session of testing counterspells on the faucet.

When they all arrive, he quickly has them go through their spells, each time holding his breath in anticipation of what might happen. Every time absolutely nothing changes, it's not only him who deflates and sighs, but Lily and Cresswell too. He thinks they might honestly be overjoyed when they hear the news. No more research, no more failures, no more feelings of defeat. As Lily completes the last counter to no change in the faucet, he says, "There's something I need to tell you two."

They look at him with curiosity and trepidation shining in their eyes.

"Last week, after one of our… sessions, I was approached by Rookwood. She said she knows what spell is on the faucet and the counter–"

"–Why didn't you say anything before!" Cresswell shouts.

Severus is about to say something nasty in return about the other needing to learn to hear a story through, when Lily lays a hand on the Ravenclaw's arm. "I'm sure Severus had a reason, Dirk," she chides. "Before you get in a strop, listen to everything first he has to say first like an  _adult_ , would you?"

He is actually surprised when an expression of shame overcame Cresswell's features. "Right," he says. Then even quieter, he tells him, "Sorry, Severus."

So shocked by his apology, he can only nod before continuing, "She knows the spell and counter, but she will only tell me if I agree to let her in on all of our meetings and tell her about the entirety of my as a Death Eater and spy."

Lily crinkles her nose. "Why does she want to know all of that?"

"I suspect there are a couple of reasons," he starts. Making a counting gesture with his hand he says, "To look for something to blackmail me with or a weakness, to have a better idea of what her family was doing in the name of the Lord, or, more specifically, what her uncle and father, were doing. Her husband too, I reckon."

Dirk crosses his arms, lip jutting out slightly. "But… you lot wore masks. How precisely can you know what her dad and uncle did as Death Eaters?"

He nearly rolls his eyes. "The masks were for  _you_ , not us."

"Oh," the Ravenclaw mumbles, embarrassed.

Lily frowns. "But you didn't know all of the Death Eaters. That's how Peter was able to betray us and why everyone thought it was Sirius who did everything."

"He was a spy," replies Severus. "That was different. Who he was the Lord purposefully hid and kept vague from the rest of the Death Eaters so his ear to the Order wouldn't be exposed."

Dirk shifts his feet and slouches against one of the lavatory's sinks. "There could have been more spies than him, couldn't there have been?"

"Yes, I even was able to connect some dots post-first war and let Albus know to be wary of a couple of witches and wizards in the future."

Looking at him and then at Lily, Dirk asks, "How likely do you think it is Pettigrew and those others will be spies again?"

"Peter won't," Lily declares. As she starts to tap her fingers along the porcelain of the sink beside Dirk, she says, "Severus pushing him into the gobstones club has made Peter a more confident person I believe. He's still as good a friend with the boys as I remember, but… He also has his own things going on, you know? His life is his own.

"He's stronger too. After the dueling competition last year, he and a number of the younger gobstones club members convinced one of the older members who's friends with Pandora Ollivander to bring her by to teach them some of the spells she used during her duel with Scabior. She showed them those spells and more. I've seen him practicing with the boys now and again; sometimes Peter even wins their skirmishes."

Expression fierce – nearly lethal – she meets both of their gazes and says, "And if somehow all the changes mean nothing in the end and Peter  _still_ becomes a spy I'll kill him myself. I won't let another Peter betray our friends if I can help it."

The remark gives Severus pause and he even finds himself sharing a slightly wide-eyed look with Dirk, who returns it. It seems neither quite knows what to make of such an openly hostile declaration from Lily. It's not as if either has ever thought her incapable of such things, but Lily usually wants solutions with the least amount of violence and hurt possible.

Severus clears his throat and checks the time. "As I said, if we want the spells from Rookwood, I will have to give her the story of my Death Eater and spy years and start to allow her into all of our meetings. If you two would rather I not agree to her demands, you need to tell me now. I am due to see her any minute."

" _I_ think she should have been here right alongside us from the start, doing her fair share and all of that," Dirk says.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and reminds himself calling the Ravenclaw a dunderhead will not help anything. "I've told you, she's not interested in being a team player. She only wants to do things that will accomplish  _her_ goals. I've been doing her quite the favor by leaving her out of the majority of our meetings. It means I'm only bringing her in when it benefits her." He scowls at his feet. "Not that she or anyone else seems to understand or appreciate that," he mutters.

Either Lily or Dirk don't hear his last remark or decide not to prod him into elaboration so they can give him fake platitudes. Instead, Lily inquires, "Do you think we should come with you when you tell her?"

"She'll hate that," Severus says. But isn't it Rookwood who says she wants to be a part of every gathering? If that's true, surely she'll understand the addition of Lily and Dirk to  _their_ meeting tonight. Besides, Lily already knows all about his Death Eater and spy days and he's rather certain she's filled Dirk in on the important parts as well. He'll just be getting a more detailed account. Finally, he tells them, "But you should be there too." He smirks. "She's the one who wants to be a part of everything now, just not what will have an effect on her. You should be given the same opportunities."

-O-

When Severus, Lily, and Dirk find Rookwood skulking outside of the Slytherin dorms, she glowers at the sight of all of them. "Decided to bring them along, did you?" she sneers.

Lily smiles right at Rookwood. "We chose to be here, actually."

"Why? Surely you've already heard about his time as a Death Eater and spy. It's not as if this is going to be interesting," huffs the Hufflepuff.

Dirk grins at her with a slightly patronizing air. "I don't know everything. Just the bare bones," he says to Rookwood. "I'm actually quite interested to hear the story in full from the horse's own mouth."

The younger's lips twist with distaste, but she doesn't say anything to the Ravenclaw. She instead turns an intense glare on Severus and grits, "Well? Are you going to get on with it?"

He waves his wand, putting up privacy spells and another two to ward off any unwanted company and to alert them if anyone's approaching if the first doesn't do its job. Looking right at her, he warns, "This will take a few hours."

She pulls out a diary – the one from the wedding, he realizes. Before he can ask, Lily does for him. "What's that for?" she demands with bewilderment. "No one is going to quiz you later."

"It's for me and my personal uses," she snaps.

Severus crosses his arms. "That's not safe," he tells her. "You're not writing down my entire Death Eater and spy career. What happens if you lose it or someone steals it?"

Rookwood rolls her eyes and turns the diary around so they can see the scribbled on pages. Every time Severus tries to read it, the letters start to swirl and run off the page. "It's charmed," she tells them. "In more than one way," she adds. "I made sure to use obscure enchantments as well." She pulls a face and mumbles, "Mother has a habit of going through my things."

"What are you going to write down?" asks Dirk.

The Hufflepuff bares her teeth. "It's none of your concern!"

Severus sees an opening to find out and says, "Allowing you to write my history down was not a part of our agreement. I'm not risking my hide by allowing a written account of my time as Death Eater and spy to float around – even if they are charmed against prying eyes." He shares a meaningful look with Lily and Dirk. "Come along, the deal's off. We'll just have to continue our search for other avenues of destroying the Horcrux."

Thankfully both are clever enough to see what he's doing and nod their heads. As they start to turn away and Severus raises his wand to cancel the many spells on them, Rookwood yells, "I don't want to write everything down! Just any mentions of my family. Surely that's not enough of a threat to your person for you to really want to cancel this meeting?"

"Why just your family?" Dirk inquires as Severus halts in canceling the spells.

Rookwood snarls at the Ravenclaw. "Isn't it enough that I told you what I want to write?"

"I'm curious too," Severus breaks in. "What exactly do you plan to do with this information? Become a Death Eater yourself and help them? I don't think I want to encourage the possibility. Even if things are not the same, I suspect there will be overlaps between the Death Eater activity of our first life and this one. I don't want them to have an advantage through you."

"I just want a rough timeline so I know when I have to start putting together escape plans," she grinds out through her clenched teeth. "I want my family to be able to leave England before the war's end. I'm not letting my grandfather go to Azkaban and die there again. I'm not going to watch my grandmother wither away from grief and I'm not going to sit by and watch my father and uncle be killed for the second time."

Severus sees Lily stiffen out of the corner of her eyes. "That's not–"

He turns his head. "Lily, shut up," he orders. "If that's what Rookwood wants to do with the information, so be it. As Albus was fond of saying, sometimes, things must be done for the greater good. If we must let a few Death Eaters run away from the consequences of their actions in exchange for a spell that will help us to defeat the Dark Lord? So be it." He gestures for Dirk to step forward, who seems shocked by his request, but moves into the space next to Severus all the same. "And we're going to make sure she keeps that promise through a vow."

Rookwood starts, "That's not necces–"

"–Oh, but it is. I'd like the charm and its reversal, but I don't  _need_ it. You, on the other hand, I imagine does need my information if what you said is the truth."

Seeing she is at the disadvantage now that she's shown all her cards, Rookwood puts out her hand in a jerky movement. "Fine," she spits. "We'll make the blasted vow."

He grips her hand and squeezes it hard enough to hurt when her nails start to dig into his wrist. With Dirk's assistance, the vow is made and the minute the spell is completed, they let one another go. As he inspects his wrist for cuts, Rookwood uses her other hand to massage the one she used in the vow. When he's satisfied that the half-moons on his skin are only marks of irritation rather than wounds, he returns his attention to the Hufflepuff and says, "Shall we begin my tale?"

"Finally!" she mutters as she digs a quill out of her pocket.

Settling himself against the wall behind him, Severus takes a moment to decide the best starting point. He picks his induction into the Death Eaters as the best place to begin. His recruitment isn't going to hold anything of use to Rookwood. As he begins, he watches Lily, still frowning and unhappy, fall into a crouch not far from him and Dirk slide down the wall next to him into a sit with his long legs outstretched in front of him. The Ravenclaw then rolls his left foot onto its side so the tip of his foot can touch Lily's.

Rookwood notices as well and she raises an eyebrow at him, as if to say, 'See? I told you they're more than friends.'

Severus harshens his gaze into a glare and reminds himself that what he's seeing isn't what it Rookwood's trying to imply. Lily's upset about what Rookwood plans to do with the information he's giving her and Dirk is simply trying to comfort her in a small way without being too obtrusive about it. Unfortunately for him, Severus is very good at noticing small things and still quite raw about how everything ended between him and Lily.

Purposefully turning his gaze away from the Hufflepuff and Lily and Dirk, he tries to focus on just informing Rookwood of his time as a Death Eater and spy. It goes about as well as expected, meaning, not well at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)


	83. Overrunning: VIII

The sound of the leather soles connecting with stone fills the air around them. Whenever Sage glances at Pucey walking beside him the anxious itch beneath his collar worsens when he sees her blasé expression. While he knows he's only half to blame for silence and tedium they're experiencing it does nothing to soothe Sage. He's sure if the redhead isn't already, she will soon enough be rabbiting to all her friends about how boring performing prefect duties with Sage is. He would really prefer the majority of Slytherin's upper-year witches not think he's some dull dimwit. As uninterested as Sage is in girls, someday he might have to marry one anyway to appease his mother and that ordeal will go much easier if everyone he remotely knows doesn't believe him to be a boring simpleton.

Desperately searching for a topic to discuss with her, Sage mentally sifts through different possibilities before settling on something he hopes will be open enough they can move onto other topics once she answers his question. He clears his throat and asks, "What do you want to do when you graduate?"

Pucey turns her head to look at Sage and answer, "Well, my older brother works as a curse-breaker for Gringotts. It's always a wicked time when he comes home because he'll take me to the pub and tell me all about his latest adventures. It sounds fascinating and I'd like to be one too, but I know if I tried to become a curse-breaker my mother would have a heart attack. She hates how often Morrissey is away from home and England and she wouldn't be able to handle both of us being gone." She looks forward and with a frown, continues, "So I reckon I'll end up working for the Ministry and I'll have to find prestige elsewhere." She glances at Sage, blue eyes gauging him for something. "My cousin Fergall should be able to help with that. He's mates with your brother and from what I've heard, you're brother is doing quite well in making a name for himself in the right circles." She grins then, leaning in, she bats her eyes and whispers, "Or, perhaps, I don't have to talk to Fergall at all. You could put in a kind word for me with your brother, couldn't you, Sage?"

Sage opens his mouth, but words don't come immediately. He had just been trying to be friendly. And, now, he is being reminded of his brother's activities (that someday Sage has a sinking feeling he will be expected to join in on) and Pucey's attempting to seduce him so he'll pass on compliments about her to the right people. Closing his mouth, he swallows. When he opens his mouth again, Sage manages to squeak, "There's no need for all of this, I've already written my brother good things about you seeing as you're my fellow Slytherin prefect."

Pucey backs up and laughs. "People have said it before and I've never quite believed them, but you really are soft, aren't you?"

"Nice," Sage says. "I try to be  _nice_."

She stares at him with disbelief. Pucey starts to speak when, abruptly, she stops and her gaze snaps to something behind Sage. He looks over his shoulder yet sees nothing there.

"I saw someone," Pucey tells him.

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It could have been one of the ghosts."

Pucey shakes her head. "No, no, it was a living person," she insists. As she passes by him, she grabs his arm to tug him along. "Let's go find out who it is! This is wicked! Finally, something interesting is happening!"

Sage still thinks his fellow prefect is seeing things and tries to slow them down by digging his heels into the grooves between the stones, but Pucey is stronger than she looks and very determined. It's not long at all before they are turning the corner into another corridor. There, Pucey drops his arm and whispers, "You look on the right side of the hall, I'll check the left."

Reluctantly, he does so. As he searches the shadows and behind the corridor's columns Sages sighs and huffs a few times, making sure Pucey hears his displeasure. They are wasting time and he wants to finish their round of the dungeons so he can finally go to bed. Just as Sage finishes looking over his side of the corridor, from the other side, Pucey cries out in triumph.

Sage spins around to see Pucey with her hands on her hips and smirking at Severus and Priscilla Rookwood who are now standing half in the torchlight and half behind a column. Stomach rolling, Sage says, "Severus? Rookwood?" What are they doing together? He and she aren't… are they? He frowns and looks between the two. Mostly, they appear annoyed. Perhaps a little tense, but there's enough distance between the two of them that Sage doesn't think there's anything romantic going on with them.

"What are you doing out here?" Pucey demands. "Curfew was hours ago!"

The two stare at them, unanswering.

"Severus?" Sage prompts while giving his brother pleading eyes.

He just crosses his arms and looks away.

Pucey starts to tap her foot. "Well?" she persists

"Just take our bloody house points already," Rookwood spits.

Sage's fellow prefect sniffs with distaste. "Fine," she replies. "Ten points from Hufflepuff and five from Slytherin."

He cocks his head at Pucey's declaration. Sage is one for house pride and all of that, but they'd caught Rookwood and Severus doing the exact same thing. They should have an equal amount of house points deducted from them. Playing favorites will also decrease their chances of becoming Head Boy and Head Girl in a couple of years because, eventually, the professors will overhear other students griping about them or be outright complained to about him and Pucey. While Sage doesn't know if he wants to be Head Boy quite yet, he does know he wants to have the possibility open to him.

"Another five points from Slytherin," he says. Sage then bends in close to whisper into the redhead's ear, "If you catch students committing the exact same infraction at the exact same time the same exact amount of house points should be taken from them, Pucey."

His fellow prefect jerks away from him, nose scrunched with disgust. When Sage glances at Severus, he sees his brother's face is similarly set with his lips pulled into a sneer as well. It's only Rookwood who appears even the least bit pleased with what Sage has done and there's something smug about her smirk. He wonders for a moment if he'd missed something as Pucey was pulling them from the shadows.

"I'm going to make sure Rookwood gets back to the Hufflepuff dorms," Pucey says. "I hope I can trust you to do the same with Snape here?"

Sage nods. "Yes, of course."

A moment later the two of them split off. As Severus and he walk in the direction of their dorms, he looks at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Severus is staring staunchly ahead. He clears his throat in an attempt to draw the other's attention. "What were you and Rookwood doing?"

"None of your business."

Sage frowns, hurt. "Oh," he mumbles. While it's entirely possible Severus is just angry about being caught, he can't help but feel he's also upset with Sage too. "Are you cross with me?" asks Sage. "I was just trying to be a good prefect."

Severus scoffs. "A good prefect of  _Slytherin_ would show solidarity when another of our house makes a decision, not undermine them."

"Pucey was being unfair!" argues Sage, taken aback at Severus actually suggesting he allow favoritism to happen.

His brother whirls around, eyes flashing. " _And_?"

Sage gapes. "You really don't care, do you?"

"Nothing in life is fair," hisses Severus.

He doesn't know how to reply. Typically his brother is so…  _not this_. He's a better person than nearly anyone else Sage has ever known and often inspirational to be around. Even when he insists on helping people, people who honestly don't deserve it, like Scabior. Yet when Sage attempts to do right by someone (and a Hufflepuff at that!), Severus acts as if he's aiding and abetting a criminal!

The entrance to their dorm in sight, Sage picks up his pace and heads over to it. He says the password and steps in. When Severus follows, Sage finally knows what he wants to say to Severus. "Maybe life isn't, but I can try to be," he tells him. After, Sage realizes he's shaking with indignation and fury. Severus is the one who broke curfew and got caught, yet his brother's behaving as if Sage's is the one who did something wrong.

Severus's eyes change; the hard edge to them is softer and the angry glint from earlier is missing entirely now. It seems he is finally realizing what a berk he's been to Sage the last ten minutes. However, it's too late. "Sage–"

He turns away from his brother and calls, "Goodnight, Severus."

Sage hears Severus swear behind him, but he doesn't attempt to catch up to him and apologize.

-o-O-o-

When Severus wakes up, he finds that his brother is long gone from their dorm.

"At least half an hour," Wilkes says when Severus asks how long Sage has been gone.

He can't say he's surprised. Severus hadn't been kind the night before after Sage and Pucey caught him and Rookwood coming back from their meeting with Lily and Dirk about how they are going to harvest poison from the Basilisk and if they should kill the snake too while they are at it. As he dresses for the day, Severus hopes to see Sage at breakfast. Perhaps there he'll be able to apologize for the untactful way he tried to impress upon his brother the need for all Slytherins to behave like a united front in front of those from other houses.

Grabbing his satchel, he leaves the Slytherin dorms for the Great Hall.

-O-

When Severus looks over the Slytherin table, he frowns when he doesn't see Sage. He does, however, spot Scabior. The boy's making faces at his cousin as she's trying to flirt with a couple of seventh-years seated on Scabior's side of the table. It's obvious she notices and is very close to lunging across the table to smack the boy if he doesn't knock it off.

Severus decides to sit next to the third year, distracting him from his activity. "Hello, Scabior," he greets.

"She's such a slag," he grumbles. "I keep thinkin' I should write Aunt Sally so she can send 'er a 'owler, but Posey will know it's me who told Aunt Sally an' I'm pretty sure she'll try an' get me expelled then."

Severus contemplates filling a plate with food, but decides against it and instead grabs a roll a couple of apples to put in his satchel for later. He doesn't plan to stick around for too long. Finding Sage is still his main priority. "She wouldn't succeed," he tells Scabior.

He furrows his brow. "Y'think?"

"I'd make sure of it." He pours himself a glass of pumpkin juice and takes a sip. "Writing a letter would be a waste of time, by the way. Most every student flirts now and then with someone. It's  _normal_ , not bad behavior."

Scabior stabs the ham on his plate rather viciously. "I've seen 'er do a lot more than chat up blokes. In fact, I saw 'er snoggin' one yesterday an' it wasn't either of them."

Done with his drink, Severus shrugs. "Even so," he says. Though, he supposes he can try and talk to Duffield later about being a little more discreet for Scabior's sake. It seems to truly upset him to see his cousin being coy with so many lads. He doubts she'll care or listen, but he really does want to try and get it into her head that her plan to get away from all her family by having the right boy put her up the duff is a terrible idea. "By the way, have you seen Sage this morning?"

"Left ten minutes ago," Scabior answers around the ham in his mouth.

Severus nods. "Any idea where he went to?"

The boy shrugs. "Owlery, maybe. I think I saw a letter in 'is 'and."

He gets to his feet. "Thank you," he tells Scabior. "I'll see you at lunch."

-O-

As Severus heads for the owlery, he passes Peter and Remus in the corridor. He nods at the two, but decides against taking a moment to speak with Peter about the gobstones club and defense class with Remus. He needs to find Sage and straighten things out now, rather than later. In spite of not wanting to talk with them, Remus appears to decide they should, as he calls after him, "Severus! Hey, Severus!"

He looks back at the reedy Gryffindor. Grudgingly, he stops a moment to let the other catch up to him. "Yes?" he asks.

"May we talk a moment?"

Severus frowns. "I need to get to the owlery, can we walk as we speak?"

Remus grimaces. "Um, I sort of want to do it in private."

In response, he casts his privacy charm over the both of them. "No one will understand a word we're saying now," he tells the other.

"Okay," the Gryffindor says, though, he appears a little doubtful.

He sighs and assures him, "It does work while you're moving, it's my very own spell and I've tested in almost every situation you'd think to use it in."

Remus nods and lets them begin to walk in the direction of the owlery. "Sirius told me you figured out I'm a werewolf," he says to Severus.

In return, he looks at the Gryffindor out of the corner of his eye. "I did."

"I wanted to thank you for not telling anyone."

Severus frowns. "It's not my place," he tells him. He's also fairly certain Albus would find a way to discredit him to protect Remus, but he's not going to tell the boy that. What Severus does feel safe jabing is the "protective measures" Albus and the professors in the know have put in place. "Even if I think it's a horrendous idea the Headmaster and professors are letting you transform on school grounds." Raising his voice, he complains, "Merlin, I don't know what any of them were thinking! It would only take  _one_ student becoming curious enough to go investigate your howling and Hogwarts will have a tragedy on its hands."

Remus hunches in on himself. "Oh."

He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "That's not a criticism of  _you,_ you know."

The Gryffindor looks up and blinks a few times realization dawning on him. "Ah," he murmurs.

"You could do something about it, though. Tell the Headmaster you're worried things aren't as secure as you would like. I'm sure he'll try and convince you it is, but obviously it's not. That's why Sirius and the rest can get to you during the full moon."

Remus dips his head, hand coming to rub thoughtfully at his chin. "I'll consider it," he replies. "Thank you, again, anyway."

Severus waves away the spell. "It's nothing," he replies. "When you have as many secrets as I, what's one more?" Severus says smirking, trying to play off the truth as a laugh.

The teenager chuckles. "I'll see you around, Severus."

He nods in agreement and then continues on his way. A few minutes later when Severus reaches the owlery he relaxes when he sees Sage coming down the steps. Picking up his pace to greet the other, he yells, "Sage!"

His brother looks at him, apprehension ghosting across his gaze. "'Lo," he says back.

"I just want to apologize," he tells the other. "I was… Unfairly short with you last night. It was my fault Pucey caught us and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Thanks," Sage replies, though, he looks little appeased.

He frowns. "What?"

"Do you really think I shouldn't have taken the same amount of house points from you that Pucey took from Rookwood?"

Severus lifts his gaze to the ceiling. "It's not that I don't think I should have lost the same amount of house points, it's that I don't think you ought to have done it in front of Rookwood. Houses need to appear as a united front, especially Slytherin."

"Taking them away afterward would have still made us look like we were showing favoritism!"

He looks at his brother. Sage's hands are balled up and his brows are pulled together with anger. He doesn't understand why he's so upset about the idea of Rookwood being treated unfairly. She's one of the people least deserving of kindness that he knows. "Sage, what are you trying to do?"

"Trying to do?"

Severus nods. "Yes, why is it you're so against showing favoritism? What are you attempting to do that means you can't?"

Sage stares back at him. "I don't…" he shakes his head. "It's not right," he says. " _You're_ not right. You care about what happens to Scabior and he's a couthless little berk, but you don't that Rookwood's being punished harder for the exact same infraction you committed!"

"Scabior has redeemability, unlike Rookwood! Losing extra points is just a small part of what she deserves," he yells back.

His brother scowls. "Rookwood hasn't done anything to anyone from what I've seen or heard, unlike Scabior."

Severus takes a deep breath. "Sage…"

"What were you doing with her?" his brother questions, "Are you two…?"

"Merlin, no!" he assures. "Sage, I  _promise_ my telling you about what the two of us are doing says nothing about how much I trust you. It's business between the two of us that I know she'd hate for me to share with anyone, even you," Severus fibs. Meeting his brother's gaze, he goes for a calm, intensity as he adds, "I haven't talked about what we're doing with Lily either."

The troubledness eases from Sage's countenance. "Okay." His eyebrows knit together once more. "That really doesn't make it better," he tells Severus.

"I know." He smiles slightly. "Someday I'll be able to tell you about it, I imagine."

Coming over to Severus's side, Sage smirks back. "I'll be waiting."

He snorts. "Sure, Sage." Reaching into his satchel he pulls out the apples he took from the Slytherin table and offers one to Sage to eat as well. His brother takes it and grins as he bites into it.

As he eats his own, Severus's thoughts wander. At some point in the future, a day will come where Severus has to tell Sage the truth about himself, about Lily, Dirk, and Rookwood. He's never given much thought to what this day would look like, as it always felt so far away, but that's not true any longer. To save Sage from the fate he faced in his first lifetime Severus might have to reveal all of himself to his brother. Soon, too, depending on how early he was persuaded into joining the Death Eaters by Boyd. He hopes when the time comes they'll be able to overcome the betrayal Sage will feel and come out of it with an even stronger sense of brotherhood than they share now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and/or kudo to let me know if you liked my story or not :)
> 
> P.S. I will be going on vacation for the next two weeks, so there will be no updates during that time.


	84. Overrunning: IX

" _Close_ ," Dirk says in Gobbledegook to the faucet, effectively changing the password to open the Secret of Chambers. They had rowed about the simplicity of the password Dirk chose initially; to Severus, it feels risky to have the passcode be only one word. However, Dirk argued for the nonsensicalness of 'close' in regards to opening the chamber and swayed Lily to his side ('As if that's a surprise,' Severus thinks with a sneer to himself). The damnable Rookwood had stared at him with bored eyes when he asked her opinion and said:

_"I don't care. After we're done here, it's never going to concern me again. Besides that, does it really matter if anyone goes into the chamber after us? The snake down there will be dead."_

Her remark effectively outvoted him two, more like three, to one in regards to what the new password should be. Severus still isn't entirely certain he'll leave it alone once this is all over. He may change it for his own peace of mind and ensure no future Hogwarts students find their way into the Chamber where they can hurt themselves or use it for nefarious ends.

"What do we do next?" Dirk asks, pulling Severus from his plotting. Lily and Rookwood look at him as well. It hasn't really sunk in before, but it does now, that he is the leader (even if plans do not always go the way he would prefer). For once, he is in charge and he is not a pawn at the whims of greater men any longer.

It's both shocking and exhilarating.

However, there is no time to soak in the feeling and, instead, he goes through what else must be done before they can venture into the Chambers (if they ever do, Severus is desperately hoping his grandfather will find them another way to destroy a Horcrux before they have to). He has to finish brewing the batch of Mandrake Restorative Draughts for all of them should one or more of them be petrified while facing off against the basilisk. They also need weapons which they can use to slay the snake. Harry and his little band used Godric's Sword, but Severus suspects any sword will do. Currently, he's contemplating the swords of some of Hogwarts's suits of armors and which he can take without causing much notice and he thinks they will be able to wield with little trouble.

He's also written his grandfather about sending a dagger for him in case he must get closer to slay the basilisk than a sword will allow. Severus still isn't too sure if he should ask for three more or not because the old man still doesn't know about Dirk or Rookwood and he'd rather keep it that way. He's been stung too many times by Demitri to let him know more than is necessary at this point. This, however, is something he doesn't think he will mention to the three just yet. Severus knows if nothing else he can ask for one more for Lily and it will be given to him. It will be at that point he'll have to decide which of the three should have it. Severus imagines he'll still hand it off to Lily, but he's not against the idea of putting it in Dirk's hands either at this point. From what he knows and Dirk has revealed, the Ravenclaw was never much of a fighter in his last life, but Severus does feel if he gave him a dagger he would learn how to be.

Then comes the matter of trying to get himself a vial of Phoenix Tears. Severus wants to be prepared in case the worst happens and someone is bitten – even if that person is Rookwood. Severus is also strongly contemplating asking his grandfather for them, but fears if he does it will make the old man think Severus is reliant on him and cause him to act up in ways that Severus wants to avoid. Add in the cost and the questions it will bring and Severus isn't certain it's a very good idea.

Recently, he's been contemplating how he might get to Fawkes and convince the bird to cry for him. Severus suspects he will have to ask to borrow James's invisibility cloak once more and think of a reasonable excuse for why he needs it. Even so, that might not be enough to help him.

Rookwood sighs as Dirk begins to cough into his hand, pulling Severus from his thoughts and reminding him he needs to share the next part of their plan. "Now, I finish brewing the draughts we will need in case one of us is petrified by the basilisk and figure out which swords we will steal from the suits of armors to use to battle the snake. After that's done, I need to find a way to obtain Phoenix Tears should the worst happen and one of us is poisoned by the basilisk."

"Is that all?" Rookwood snarks.

He glares at her. "This was but one step and you knew this long before you gave us the spell to change the password on the faucet."

"I thought you would have had everything else in hand by now!"

Severus pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath. "It  _is_. The potions are nearly finished and I have several swords in mind for us to use, but am still in the midst of deciding which ones would suit us best individually. It is only the tears that I truly haven't begun to do anything about as I imagine I will need Lily's help for that." He turns to her. "I would appreciate it if you could ask James for his cloak."

She nods. "Of course."

"What's so special about his cloak that yours won't do?" Dirk asks with pure curiosity.

Rookwood sneers. "Yes, what about it is so special?"

Severus pulls his mouth into a line. He realizes now this is something he should not have brought up in front of the Hufflepuff. Rookwood might very well steal it he realizes. Internally, Severus curses and decides he ought to prepare a vial of Veritaserum to keep on hand should he need to force the truth from her about snatching the cloak. "It is an invisibility cloak."

"Wow!" Dirk enthuses. "I always wondered how Potter and his mates managed some of the pranks they did when we were in Hogwarts! I guess it was with the help of that cloak, aye?"

Lily's mouth curves into a smile. "It was."

Annoyed, Severus grumbles, "They used it a lot more than for just pranks."

Neither hears him and Lily is soon in the midst of telling a story to Dirk about a prank James and Sirius pulled with the cloak. To his right, he hears Rookwood snicker. Severus makes a crude gesture at her before he puts a hand on Lily's arm, drawing her attention to him. "I need to go check on the draughts," he tells her. "I trust you'll all be able to make it to your dorms?"

"Yes, we'll be fine. Thank you. See you in potions tomorrow?"

He nods in agreement before he takes his leave.

-o-O-o-

Absorbed in writing his essay, Sage doesn't even bat an eye when he comes to the end of his sheet of parchment. While he dips his quill in its inkpot to prepare it for a new page, he uses his free hand to reach into his satchel. He furrows his brows when he feels no new parchment inside. He sets aside his freshly inked quill and gets off his bed to go retrieve more parchment from his trunk. There are two more hours until dawn and he's not going to try and excuse his potions essay not being finished on having run out of parchment. Unfortunately, after checking his usual place beneath his books and then rifling around in the other compartments of his trunk, he realizes he's utterly out of parchment.

Sage blinks and wonders if he's used more than typical lately. He realizes that, yes, he has. Boyd has been writing more often lately (to his delight and consternation) and he's been responding in kind. He looks over his shoulder at Severus's bed. For once, he's beneath his quilt sound asleep. Over the years Sage has grown used to his brother not being in his bed as he should be (even if it irks him more than ever now that he's a prefect), he finds it to be a strange sight to see him slumbering in it. He finds it even stranger that Severus looks peaceful rather than tense and in the throes a nightmare.

He always wants to wake Severus up when he looks to be having unhappy dreams, but experience and his brother's warnings have taught Sage not too. Severus doesn't wake in the best mindset and is likely to try and hex or curse Sage – or attack him outright. And Severus insists he'd rather sleep through them and get the rest it entails rather than wake and try again for sweeter dreams.

Typically, he would attempt to wake Severus – nightmare or no – and ask if he can take some parchment from him. However, at the oddly soothing sight of his brother resting peacefully, Sage decides he should just get the parchment for himself. He knows how to open Severus's (excessively protected) chest himself and as much as his brother hates to have others in his things, Sage doesn't think he will be upset with him for going in it without his permission or knowledge.

He's just taking a few pieces of parchment.

Undoing the spells on Severus's trunk, he opens the lid and marvels at the neatness of his brother's things. Sage isn't a slob by any means, but even his trunk isn't this organized. Gingerly lifting and putting things down in his search for parchment, he grins when he finds what he needs. Pulling them from the trunk he takes notice of a curious little diary peaking out from behind a book he turned askew during his search for the parchment. Sage looks up to check on Severus. His brothers sleeps, chest rising and lowering at a slow pace. He picks up the diary.

Sage opens it and frowns when he sees nothing written inside. Why does Severus have an empty diary? All the rest of his brother's diaries that he's had the fortune of perusing were full of calculations and spells and potions recipes. It's evident in the light cracking of the leather around the spine this diary isn't a new one either. Is this a gift he's spitefully refused to use? It would be very Severus not to. Sage could do with a diary himself, he thinks. A place to write out all of the confusing thoughts he has about what his brother does and wants Sage to do and what he wants to do when he's older… Sage shakes his head. He can't just take this. Severus will notice – unlike with the parchment.

However, when he goes to put it back, he hesitates. He feels a certain pull that he simply can't ignore. Sage needs a diary and this is the one he wants. He sends a silent apology to his brother and tucks the diary beneath his armpit. Hopefully, Severus doesn't notice – or care – that it's gone. He fixes everything in his brother's trunk so it looks as undisturbed as possible before closing the lid.

Getting to his feet, Sage picks up his parchment and returns to his bed to finish his essay. However, before he starts on the next page, he cracks open the diary and writes inside it the date and his initials.

A moment later, across the page scrawls,  _Hello? SM? What kind of name is SM?_

His eyes blow wide. Merlin, this is a  _charmed diary_! Fascinated, Sage writes,  _It's not a name. They are my initials. My name is Sage Montague…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Back from vacation :)
> 
> There's an exciting announcement! TDKWWS is a finalist for the Best Fan Fix Fic category in something called the 2018 Mischief Managed Awards run by the Shrieking Shack Society. I think it would be really cool if TDKWWS could win it. To do so, it would help if you guys went and voted in their poll. The link to it is:
> 
> https:/drive.google.com/forms/d/11sb7N1Lp02RFy_S4e5mJz5u0asfL6BZ0fhCM-Mau9Hg/edit?ts=5ac0778a
> 
> You have about a month to vote. It's also worth checking out for the new reading material alone, I would say ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading and please leave a kudo and/or comment to let me know your thoughts!


	85. Overrunning: X

Severus systematically removes everything from his trunk and lays it out on his bed. Once done, he looks over his things once, then twice, then a third time. Finally, he growls, "Bugger all!" and starts to chuck it all back in his trunk with no care for where it falls or the resulting condition from his treatment. The diary is  _missing_. How in Merlin's name it happened Severus doesn't know. Lily is the only one who he's showed how to open his trunk. While there's a slim chance she shared how to with Dirk (but he hopes she knew better than to do so), there's absolutely none that Rookwood learned from her or Dirk.

Could Rookwood have figured out the spells he has on the trunk and broken in to steal it? If so, what does she even want the diary for? To study? Use as leverage? Severus contemplates confronting her, but realizes it's a poor idea. If she did steal the diary, Rookwood's not going to confess and will deny she stole it even after (if) its recovered from her things. Perhaps he should just send Lily into her dorm during the night to go through her trunk and space to recover the diary perchance Rookwood did take it.

However, there is also a slim possibility it isn't Rookwood who lifted the diary and Severus doesn't want to push her over any lines that could endanger not only him, but Lily and Dirk, as well as the world as a whole. After all, there is an even smaller likeliness Lily is the one who took it. He knows she's been uneasy about it being so close to children from the moment she was told he would be keeping it in his school trunk in his dorm.

It seems unlikely she would have removed it without his permission, but she may have out of fear that he wouldn't let her move it to somewhere she deemed "safer". He would have, maybe, if allowed to thoroughly inspect the new hiding place and see if it really is more secure than his trunk. Surely Lily would have known this? Of course she would have. Severus and she have been mates far too long for her not to.

Slowly, Severus concludes he needs to speak to both girls – individually – and Dirk too, if only to know if he's seen or heard anything from the two. While he realizes this is the necessary course to take, he finds himself reluctant. What if it  _was_ a student who managed to break into his trunk? How is he ever going to live such a thing down? How will the others ever trust him (however grudgingly it might be with Rookwood and Dirk) to protect what's most important to them all ever again?

Uneasily, he decides he won't say anything just yet. He doesn't even know exactly when the diary was stolen. He'd checked for it on Saturday and now, three days later, the diary is gone. While he hasn't noticed any of the three behaving suspiciously the last few days, perhaps they will today, which will tell him they stole it just last night.

As Severus leaves for breakfast, he is so distracted by the mystery at hand he doesn't even notice that Sage's bed is still made from the day before. Perhaps if he had, he would have stopped to ponder the sight. If not sleeping in his bed last night, what could his brother have been doing during the twilight hours of Hogwarts?

-o-O-o-

When he passes the Great Hall's threshold he is almost immediately approached by Scabior's little sister, Mari. The girl's eyes are big and scared. "Severus!" she cries. "Ya 'ave to come with me! Scabior an' Posey are goin' to kill each other!"

He lifts his gaze to the staff table, the professors present are focused on their breakfasts, conversing with one another and the going-ons of the tables before them. Internally, Severus sighs. They are oblivious to true trouble as always, it seems to him. Though, he reluctantly admits some of the blame falls on the Gryffindor's shoulders. Why didn't she go to them? Immediately, he scoffs at himself for the thought. Why would Mari go to  _them_? This girl doesn't see adults as helpful, only as a source of pain and disappointment. Just as he did when he was a child like her.

Shaking himself from his reverie, Severus returns his attention to Mari and nods. "Where are they?"

"Not far," she answers, leading them out of the Great Hall. "Mei was with us when Posey came at Scabior screamin' an' tryin' to grab 'im by 'is 'air. Mei told me to get 'elp while she kept the two of 'em from drawin' their wands on each other." Severus keeps right on the girl's heels as she leads them through a couple of corridors and finally out into one of Hogwarts courtyards.

Just as she described, Duffield is hollering and pointing at Scabior, who's yelling and shaking his fists back at his cousin from behind Mei, who looks as if she desperately wants away from the both of them. Briefly, Severus flicks his gaze around the courtyard. It's empty, but he can just barely see through some windows across the way there are the shadows of watching students.

'Those dunderheads should be going for help, not sticking around to watch things play out!" he thinks angrily.

While still ignoring what it is the two are exactly rowing about, Severus pulls out his wand and places a hand on Mari's shoulder. "Stay here," he orders. Approaching quickly, he makes eye-contact with Mei and urges her with his eyes to step out of the way. Thankfully, she understands and darts out from between the two.

It's at this point Scabior attempts to tackle Duffield. Severus casts a knock-back jinx on the boy, throwing him back a couple of meters. Duffield falls mute immediately in her astonishment. Just as her eyes meet his, he casts a jelly-leg on her, effectively taking her to the ground and limiting the trouble she can cause him as he hurries over.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demands in the same tone he used as a professor breaking up duels and brawls between students. It's not quite as heavy a timber as he would like, but he doesn't sound utterly ridiculous either. Puberty is finally returning to him the ability to sound authoritative instead of just bossy.

Duffield is just angry enough not to care it's him demanding answers. She jabs her finger in the direction of Scabior, whose in the midst of pulling himself to his feet after having the wind knocked out of him. "He told Mulciber and his mates I have a  _disease_!"

Severus pinches the bridge of his nose. Of course Scabior did. Gathering his thoughts, Severus turns his attention to the boy and chides, "I told you, it's her choice if she wants to chat up all of the Slytherin upper-years and look like a slag."

The sixth-year's expression turns to one of affrontment as Scabior wobbles over to them, a deep scowl marring his features. "What 'bout when 'er bein' a tart 'as lads thinkin' Mari's one too!" he demands.

He swivels his head around to look at Duffield, who has dropped her gaze to the courtyard's stone-ground and has brought her arms up to wrap around herself. Severus looks over his shoulder next to where Mei and Mari are clinging to one another, or rather, Mari is clutching the upper-year, as Mei hugs her back in a bid to comfort her.

While he can't say he foresaw this being one of the consequences of Duffield's behavior, Severus isn't surprised either. He's seen one student mar or aid a family many times over the years. It is unfortunate Mari's receiving such ill-attention so early in her Hogwarts career as well. She's a  _child_ and to already be earning such attention from boys… Perhaps they can find a way to stop this now before it becomes an unmanageable problem for Mari.

"I told you before I wouldn't tell you how a poor idea chasing the lads of Slytherin was," he began, "and I still won't. However, you ought to give some serious thought to how much you want to hurt your family in your bid to ensnare a small fortune for yourself."

The upper-year looks torn between irritation at being chided by her junior and ashamed she'd brought such attention to her little cousin. Severus is actually quite relieved that she appears to have some kind of a conscience after all. He'd wondered. "Unjellify," says Severus, releasing Duffield from the jinx he placed on her. Satisfied she'll be able to pick herself up and leave if she so wishes, he shifts all his attention to Mari.

The Gryffindor is a bit teary-eyed and furrows her brow when he smiles at her. "As for you, Mari, I think it's time you learn what to do when someone won't accept 'no' for an answer." Keeping his voice light, he remarks, "I imagine Scabior told you how he won last year's dueling competition and what a skilled duelist he is already, but do you know Mei was also a participant? As was I?"

Slowly, Mari shakes her head.

"That's quite alright," replies he; Severus smirks at Scabior. "Your brother probably just forgot to tell you," Severus lower his voice to a whisper and adds, "he is a bit conceited, after all."

This draws out laughter from both Mari and Mei, while the boy behind Severus huffs loudly with fake-annoyance and some genuine amusement. Severus's smirk widens into a grin as he explains, "The three of us will help you learn how to duel and defend yourself so no boy will ever be able to touch you unless you want him to."

"Four," Duffield corrects. "I'm not much of a duelist, but I'll show you some tricks I've learned for the exact same reason you will now."

Severus finds himself speechless as he stares at the girl, who gazes back, defiant and daring him to deny her this. Severus won't. He's not a dunderhead and can see this might be exactly how he shows Duffield her plan is rubbish and how her family isn't all a bunch of money-grubbing arseholes. He nods. "The four of us will," he agrees.

The girl looks taken aback all of a second before she smiles, pleased.

Their good mood sours, however, when the door to the courtyard collides with the stone wall next to it, rattling and shaking from the force. They all turn to see Professor McGonagall fast approaching.

"What are you lot up to?" demands the woman in her sternest voice as she settles both her hands on her hips, her gaze expectant of answers – and honest ones at that.

Severus finds himself rolling his eyes.  _Now_ students went to get her? After all possibility of a ruckus dropped to none? How typical!

Mei lets go of Mari and steps forward. "Nothing, Professor," she tells the professor.

McGonagall only narrows her eyes.

Duffield sighs and puts a hand on his and Scabior's shoulders. "Nothing  _now_ ," she amends. "Scabior and I were having a bit of a row, but Snape here noticed and came out to calm us all down." She flashes him a smrik. "He has quite a way about him, I have to say."

Scabior begins to gag, but quickly cuts it out when Duffield turns her grip on him piercing. This comes as a great relief to Severus; he hopes that the upper-year is being complimentary for McGonagall's sake, because he absolutely dreads the idea of having to let her (or any girl) down.

The professor flicks her eyes over all of them before she dips her chin in acquiescent. "Five points to Slytherin for helping to de-escalate a situation, Mr. Snape," she says. "Now, I suggest you lot head to the Great Hall for breakfast. It won't be served for much longer and you have Transfiguration with me in a quarter of an hour, Ms. Duffield."

"Yes, Professor," they reply in tandem.

With one last look at them, the Head of Gryffindor turns to leave – all of them trailing close behind. A discussion about Mar's training will have to wait, but Severus reckons it won't be long at all before they are all back in this courtyard practicing with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please leave a kudo and/or comment to let me know your thoughts!


	86. Overrunning: XI

When Severus sits down to dinner the day after he discovered the diary missing, he frowns. Keeping his hands by his side instead of reaching for the spoon stuck in the dish of Shepard's pie, he scans the faces of those sitting around him. Much like last night, and at breakfast, Sage is missing. While reaching for the pitcher of water to pour himself a glass, he inquires, "Has anyone seen Sage since classes let out?"

Wilkes and Crabbe bend their heads together and snicker at him. Pucey starts to search the faces around them for Sage as Rosier eats on, ignoring Severus's question, and Regulus, to the teenager's right puts on an expression of thoughtfulness.

"Shouldn't you know?" needles Crabbe. "I thought you two were  _best mates_."

Severus rolls his eyes at her and almost says something smart about how at least Sage has someone who cares where he is, unlike  _her_ , but Pucey speaks before he does. "I talked to him after class, he mentioned having something to do and possibly being a little late for our patrol this evening," she tells him.

He nods at this, wondering what it might be his brother is up to. He's timely with his schoolwork, almost never receives detentions, and as far as Severus knows, he's not in the midst of any personal projects. Perhaps he's looking to finish a book? Or a letter to his mother or brother?

"I saw him when I stopped by the common room to get my letter to Narcissa that I left there," remarks Regulus. "He was heading in the direction of the stairs to our dorms. I said hello, but he was distracted by whatever it was he was writing down."

Severus furrows his brows. "Thank you," he replies. It must be a letter that's keeping him. Boyd has been writing him more frequently as of late (which is really of no surprise to him, with Sage being older and the war only intensifying). Severus contemplates pocketing a couple of rolls and putting a few slices of ham in his handkerchief to take to Sage when he finishes eating. Dinner is coming towards an end and Sage really shouldn't be skipping meals. He's growing at an unprecedented rate and Severus reckons by Christmas he'll be as tall as his older brother.

While he helps himself to the Shepard's pie, he resolves to wait and see if Sage shows in the next ten minutes before he gathers some leftovers to take to his brother.

-O-

Twenty minutes later Severus walks into his dorm to see Sage sitting on his bed with his back to the doorway. Reaching for the food he's brought for his brother, he calls, "'Lo!"

Sage jolts and doesn't turn immediately. When he does swing around to face Severus, there's a nervous air to him. Severus narrows his gaze and ponders what might he be hiding from him. Why does he look so uneasy? Is there unpleasant news from home that he hasn't been made aware of? It could be. It's not as if it'd be the first time either.

Slowly, he approaches. "Is everything alright?" asks Severus.

"Yes, yes, all is well," Sage assures.

He raises an eyebrow, but otherwise stays quiet. Sometimes, waiting works wonders on Sage. "Here are some rolls and ham from dinner," he says, handing the leftovers to his brother. "You missed dinner," he tells him. "And breakfast this morning." A thought comes to Severus and he leans forward to place a hand on Sage's forehead – only for his brother to jerk away.

Severus retracts his hand. "Are you ill?" he asks.

Sage shakes his head. "No," he answers. "It's just, um… Boyd's being pushy about… stuff… and I'm a little…" the teenager looks away and runs a hand through his fringe. "On edge, I guess you could say."

He nods. "I can see that," replies Severus. "Remember, be firm with him – and your mum – they'll listen and come around eventually. The last thing they want is to risk losing you as they lost Mum."

His brother flashes a smile at him. "Thanks," he says.

Severus pats Sage's shoulder before he points his head at the food sitting on the bed. "You better hurry up and eat. Pucey's down in the common room pacing. I reckon she's only going to wait so long for you before she comes up here."

Sage chuckles. "You're right." He rips into the roll and puts a piece of ham between the halves. "Thank you, by the way."

"It was no trouble."

There's a beat of silence, then, almost hesitantly, Sage inquires, "Are you… Will you be in bed when you're supposed to be tonight?"

This makes Severus pause. It's an odd question – and one his brother's never asked him before. "Should I be?" he returns, contemplating if perhaps this isn't some sort of warning for a bed-check tonight.

"No… Not tonight, if you don't want to," Sage tells him. "But later this week, probably."

He nods. "Thank you." He walks over to his own bed and opens his trunk to take out his charms book; there's an essay they have due tomorrow and he needs exact quotations from their textbook to get an O. "I'll stay to the dorms for the rest of the week starting tomorrow," he tells Sage. "Will that suffice?"

"Yeah," replies his brother. "I mean, you don't have to stay  _all_ week if you don't want to or can't. It should be safe to go out again by Friday." Sage bites into his dinner then, as he chews, he gets to his feet and heads for the door. "Bye!" he shouts to Severus before he finishes his dinner, effectively ending their conversation.

Severus waves distractedly in return.

-o-O-o-

Entering the Gryffindor dorms is always a risk. Less so the later in the night it becomes, but it never disappears entirely. Thankfully, however, Severus has had a lot of practice over the past couple of years on how to avoid attracting the attention of any night owls and insomniacs that might be amusing themselves in Gryffindor's common room. Severus keeps to the edges of the room and shadows and leaves the upper-year girl reading on one of the common room's sofas completely oblivious to his presence.

As he darts from shadow to shadow, he draws his wand and casts a Patronus. He glances over at the upper-year to see if the teenager still absorbed in her book. To his fortune, he finds she's turned her back to him and is facing the back of the sofa and not him. In an almost inaudible tone, he gives his message for Lily to the Patronus before he sends it off to get her. Then, crouching lower so he is nearly invisible in the darkness of the shadow he's chosen to hide in, he waits.

Not quite five minutes later Lily appears from the stairwell leading to the Gryffindor girl dorms. Her hair is a haphazard mess of knots and curls and it appears she's just put her robe on over her jimjams and she's not even wearing slippers. He almost rolls his eyes at that one. He would think she'd be better at preparing for their late-night conversations by now. Lily is going to be freezing when they step out into the corridor.

When she looks over in his direction, he Severus stands up. She glances once at her housemate reading on the sofa before padding over to him. She raises an eyebrow in question when she joins him at his side. In response, he nods and gestures they should step outside. Lily bites her lip, but agrees with a short dip of her chin.

Once they are out in the corridor, he puts up a privacy charm. Severus highly doubts there is anyone lurking nearby listening in or that anyone will come across them and stop to eavesdrop, but he knows better than to risk the possibility – now more so than ever. He's already potentially buggered things to high Hell and he's not about to let anything else go wrong if he has any say.

"What is is, Sev?" asks Lily.

He starts to speak, only to falter and fall silent.

Concern begins to overwhelm Lily's features. "Severus? What's wrong?" she questions while reaching forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Severus sighs. "I… The diary, it's gone."

Lily's mouth fell open and she stares at him, speechless. When the ability to talk finally returns to her, she hisses, "What?"

He winces. "You didn't…?"

"Take it! No! Why in Merlin's name would I do that without telling you?"

Severus nods, still cringing. "I imagined as much, but I felt I should ask. I know you weren't exactly happy with its hiding place and felt I couldn't entirely rule you moving it out of my trunk to another hiding place a possibility until I checked with you."

She seems little appeased with his explanation, but indicates she understands all the same. "Do you think Rookwood could have taken it?" Lily demands.

He shrugs. "She hasn't been behaving strangely since it went missing–"

"–How long  _has_ is it been missing?" Lily cuts in, eyes narrowing into little more than slits as she realizes that Severus may have (and didn't) immediately alert her or anyone upon finding it gone from his school trunk.

Severus shakes his head. "I can't say for certain. I noticed it was gone yesterday, but it could have disappeared almost four days ago now."

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday!"

He looks away. "I wanted to see if there was perhaps any change in your, or the others', behavior that could indicate one of you took it the day before." He drops his gaze to his feet, the abysmal feeling of regret overcoming him. He should have talked to Lily last night, not put it off in hopes it would reappear or he would find it before he would have to mention it to her and the others. "There wasn't."

Lily's silent and when he looks up, he sees she is pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you think Rookwood may have it?"

"There is a strong possibility," Severus answers. "Though, I am not entirely certain why she would take it, now, of all times, especially."

She nods. "Talking to her about it likely won't get us very far in finding an answer, will it?" she questions without really questioning at all. As optimistic and inclusive as she is with Rookwood overall, Lily knows just as well as Severus they can only trust her so much. This is something she would lie about even under the threat of death.

"I reckon it won't," he concurs. "Perhaps you could go through her things, however?" he suggests.

Lily scowls. "I'll have to, won't I?"

Severus winces. "I am sorry," he tells her. "I never– I thought it would be safe. My dormmates are a lot of  _teenagers_."

She puts her hands on her hips and snaps, "Well, you were wrong!"

"I know."

Lily falls quiet for a moment. "What happens if we find Rookwood doesn't have it?"

He turns his hand's palms upward in uncertainty. Severus can't say with one hundred percent certainty, but he does share his working plan with Lily, "I may have to dose the drinks at the Slytherin table with Veritaserum and ask them all if they have seen the diary."

She groans and puts her head in her hands. "This has become a mess."

"It has," he agrees. "Once we recover it, we will immediately have to go into the Chamber to retrieve the venom to destroy it. I don't want to risk the children more than I already have." He shudders. "If it turns out it was one of my dormmates who broke into my trunk…" He sucks in a breath. "Perhaps they're a lot of spoiled Death-Eaters in the making, but they don't deserve a death like the one the diary will cause."

His best friend suddenly surrounds him in an embrace.

Severus attempts to turn his head to get a glimpse of her features and an understanding of what's brought on the hug, but, for his troubles, all he gets is a mouthful of red hair. "It's going to work out," assures Lily. "You've recognized your mistake and already have an idea for how to fix it." When she pulls back, she pauses. "I do have one question, though," she told him.

"Yes?"

Lily asks, "Where does retrieving tears from Fawkes fit into your scheme?"

He sighs. "It doesn't," he admitted. "I… If something happens, one of you may have to tell Albus so he may bring Fawkes to the Chambers to assist us." Severus searches Lily's face. "Unless, perhaps, you think we shouldn't?"

"No, no," she replies. "That's… Albus wants to defeat Voldemort just as much as we do. He'll probably be a fine ally to have if such a scenario happens."

He smiles slightly. "Yes, he would make a good ally," agrees Severus. "All we will have to do is ensure he doesn't try and use us for  _his_ designs."

Lily flashes a grin in return. "Shall we head to Hufflepuff now?"

"Yes, let's."


	87. Overrunning: XII

He pushes off the Hufflepuff common room wall when Lily steps out of the corridor to the girls' dorm. "Well?" he demands, not bothering to quiet his voice below the volume one uses in day-to-day conversation. There are no Hufflepuffs slumbering in the common room's armchairs and none writing furiously to finish an essay before the morning to be mindful of. Thank Merlin.

Lily shakes her head, her red hair bouncing around her shoulders in the process.

Severus balls his hands into fists and presses them to his eyes. "Fuck!" he curses.

She clears her throat, drawing his focus back to her. "When are you going to douse Slytherin's drinks with Veritaserum?"

"Tomorrow," he answers, then, after a moment to consider the time, he corrects, "Today." He unfurls a hand to rubs his eyes a moment and take away the grit of tiredness before he returns his gaze to his friend. "Are you  _sure_ it's not there?"

Lily bristles, baring her teeth at him a moment as she hisses through them, "Yes!" They disappear a moment as Lily looks right and starts to tap a beat on her thigh in a cleary cross way. Finally, she breathes in a deep breath and returns her gaze to him. "Look, I know you like to think you're the only one who can do anything right, but I  _do_ know how to properly search a trunk!"

He purses his lips. Severus wants to say that isn't the case at all, he just wants her to be  _wrong_. Because… Because he doesn't like the other possibility. However, it's the last thing he wants to admit to, so, instead, he huffs irritably. "I'm not doubting you," he argues, voice cracking from exhaustion. "I just… I may know who stole it."

"You do? Who?"

Severus thins his lips into a line and looks away from Lily. He can't say – won't – not until he is certain. Perhaps he's been willfully blind these past few days, having been so certain the thief was Rookwood he ignored the signs, but Severus isn't anymore. Hindsight is always perfect, even now, in this case, and Severus is going to prove it tomorrow over breakfast.

But first… He breathes in. "Later," he tells Lily. "I'll tell you later after I have the diary in my hands and the four of us are off to the Chamber to gather the venom to destroy it."

Lily's eyebrows are knit with displeasure at his choice, but she nods all the same. She knows she can't change his mind. He breathes out. Thank Merlin for small mercies.

"Find Dirk before breakfast and bring him to the classroom, I'll bring Rookwood. I want everyone on the same page about what to do when I have the diary back in my possession in the morning," he orders.

She starts to drum her fingers along her thigh. "What about the swords?" she asks. "Should we get those now?"

He considers Lily's question. Dawn is drawing ever closer and even an hour or two of rest for both of them will be better than none. However, it's looking more and more to Severus that sleep is not in their stars. He starts to massage his temple to ward off a headache he knows isn't far off. "Yes," he answers. "The less time wasted after I have the Horcrux in my hands the better."

Lily's shoulders slump. "Please tell me they are close by?"

Severus winces. Oh, how he wishes he could.

-o-O-o-

They are sat around a pair of pushed together desks in their classroom and all of them are glaring at Severus. It's uncomfortable, but he's not going to show it – or say anything. That's unlikely to help him out of this hole he's found himself in. Across from him, Dirk leans in. "Explain this to me again. Why are we only finding out  _now_?" he demands as he tugs at his hair in frustration.

Rookwood, who is swinging between gleefulness and outrage to his left, sneers at the Ravenclaw, "Because he didn't want us to know he's just as imperfect as the rest of us!"

He pushes himself to his feet in his outrage. "I've never pretended to be–!" Severus stops short and sighs. Through gritted teeth, he says, "I wanted to ensure its absence wasn't due to someone in this group." All the while, he keeps his gaze fixed on Rookwood.

In return, the Hufflepuff jumps up and snarls, "I hope you aren't implying  _I_ would ever do such a thing. It was  _you_ who stole it from the Malfoys in the first place!"

"For a damn good reason!  _No one_ should harbor the Horcrux of another! Especially not  _Voldemort's_!"

"Oh, bullocks! Once a thief, always a thief! The why doesn't matter!"

Severus just barely contains the urge to curse her, though, he's quite certain his expression is screaming his intentions as Lily's swung around the desks to stand between the two of them.

"The both of you just shut up!" his friend shouts at the two of them.

They stare at her and with no small amount of contempt too, they do not appreciate Lily putting a stop to their row. He crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow in question.

She glares back at him. For a moment, she closes her eyes. When she opens them, there's a sharp edge to her gaze as she slowly works her eyes over  _all_  of them. "Severus made some mistakes." To herself, she mutters, "bloody stupid ones at that," before she continues, "but he's not hiding them and he's telling us all so we can be on the same page. Severus is going to get the diary back in a matter of an hour and  _we_ all need to go over what will follow after it's back in his hands."

Silence settles over them after Lily's final declaration. They are in a cycle of exchanging glances and looks when Dirk finally appears to grow tired of it and asks, "What  _are_ we going to do once you have the diary?"

Severus clears his throat. "Lily, if you would bring out the swords?"

His friend reaches into her pocket and starts to hand out the shrunken weapons to all of them as Severus starts to explain, "When I have it, I will signal such to you, Dirk…"

-O-

Dousing Slytherin's pitchers of water and pumpkin juice with Veritaserum is laughably easy. What's trickier is waiting for all of his dormmates to sit down and drink from the pitchers. Thankfully, they suspect nothing, as they are rarely a talkative sort in the morning. He watches in satisfaction as one by one they pour themselves glasses and sip from them between bites of sausage and porridge. However, Severus worries if it will all be for naught as breakfast starts to draw towards its end without an appearance from his brother.

Then, Sage walks into the Great Hall.

There are purplish smudges beneath his eyes and a certain skittishness to his gaze from the way it refuses to settle on any one thing, but, otherwise, he appears normal. Perhaps Severus shouldn't feel so poorly about failing to realize Sage has been off. He hides it well for a boy and Severus had set his sights elsewhere. To keep up the ruse, he smiles at Sage when he sits down next to him when all he wants to do is shake him and scream  _why?_

"You made it," he remarks.

Sage nods as he reaches for the pitcher of juice. "I have," he agrees. "You're right I shouldn't be skipping meals."

Severus watches his brother out of the corner of his eye as he spreads marmalade on his toast, waiting for the moment he takes a sip of his drink. Finally, after what feels like a century instead of just a handful of minutes, Sage does. In response, he puts down his half-eaten toast and errs on the side of caution by putting his hand on his wand. He doesn't actually believe him and Sage will come to hexes, but he isn't entirely sure the other young witches and wizards around him won't try anything once they realize what he did to them all.

"I've been meaning to ask," he starts, loud enough for all in his vicinity to hear, "has anyone seen my diary? It's black leather with gold-protected corners. It was in my trunk the last I saw it."

"No," all but Sage answer in near unison. They blink and frown at one another as soon as they say it, realizing that it wasn't entirely their choice to answer, but uncertain why they felt so compelled to answer Severus's question. He nods at them before he turns his gaze on Sage, who's very obviously struggling to keep silent. His jaw is shaking from the force he's using to keep it closed and Severus worries a little his brother might hurt himself if he fights the potion much longer.

To increase the compulsion, he prompts, "Sage? What about you?"

"Yes!" he all but explodes; face suddenly void of all color but the ever starker purple underneath his blue eyes.

Severus finds himself suddenly torn between rage and despair as his suspicions are slowly being confirmed. How could Sage have broken his trust by going into his trunk without permission? Are they not brothers in all but blood? How dare he steal something that isn't his from Severus! Who does he think he is?

However, for all his anger towards Sage, he feels more for himself than he does brother. How could Severus be so careless? He knows Sage watches his every move – of course he figured out how to open his trunk. Severus should have been more careful about opening it, or changed the spells he used to keep it locked and protected every now and then to make it harder to memorize the combination of spells to open it. What if one of the other lads had been the one to break into his trunk? They may have very well taken much more than just Riddle's diary.

The others around them appear to have caught on to what Severus has done and across the table, Wilkes growls at him, "You paranoid  _freak_!"

He ignores him and keeps eye contact with Sage, whose gaze is growing ever wider with panic and fear. He looks as if all he wants to do is duck beneath the table to hide from shame and to protect himself from the fury Severus's eyes are surely aglow with. "Where is it now?" demands Severus.

"My pocket."

Severus doesn't ask for Sage to give it to him, just cants forward and reaches into his brother's robe to pull out Tom Riddle's diary for himself. Thankfully, Sage doesn't fight. He lets it happen and even helps by moving his arms out of Severus's way. Once it's in his hands, he gets to his feet and leans in next to his brother's ear to warn him, "We will be discussing this later. You can try and hide if you like, but know I  _will_ find you Sage Montague."

With that, he looks over to the Ravenclaw table, where Dirk sits, waiting for the signal. Severus makes a show of putting the diary in his robe. In response, the blond starts to cough loudly into his elbow; which alerts Rookwood, who Severus can just barely see reach into her satchel for a textbook, which will signal to Lily that the diary has been recovered.

Without a backward glance, he starts for the second-floor girls' lavatory. The rest will join him soon enough and then, then the four of them will enter the Chamber of Secrets.

Merlin save them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off to the Chamber they go! Excited?
> 
> On another note, if you aren't following me as a writer and don't already know, I have recently uploaded a whole new series called Family Branches. It's an AU where Severus has a little sister and the world takes a slightly different path. The summary for the first fic, "Black Eyes" is:
> 
> "When his mother insisted he come home for Christmas hols during his fifth year to share some important news, Severus came up with dozens of possible, not-so-possible, and impossible theories about what she could have to announce.
> 
> This, though, he never dreamed it would be this."
> 
> If it sounds like something you might be interested in reading, I encourage you to check it out and I hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> Thank you for reading and please let me know your thoughts with a comment and/or kudo!


	88. Overrunning: XIII

"Someone ought to stand guard."

Severus raises an eyebrow at Lily. "Are you volunteering?"

Lily starts to tap her fingers on her leg in that considering way of hers. "Maybe," she replies.

"Shouldn't the age lines and other wards we just put up be enough to keep students and professors out?" asks Dirk, looking between the two of them with an acute anxiousness. To Severus, it appears what they are about to do is starting to become real to the Ravenclaw and he's becoming afraid. Severus sympathizes greatly. His stomach is churning just enough to make him nauseous but not so much so he has the urge to vomit all over everyone's shoes. In nearly no time at all they are going to be facing off against a Basilisk.

He wishes he'd been able to endure researching more methods to kill them rather than choosing to rely on one approach learned secondhand years ago from the story of Potter and his friends' escapade into the Chambers. Almost imperceptibly shaking his head, Severus turns his attention to Dirk. " _I_ think so," he tells him.

Lily rolls her eye. "You also thought the diary was safe," she reminds him irritably.

Severus resists the urge to call her a bitch by scoffing loudly as Rookwood laughs. "She's got you there!" the Hufflepuff crows.

He shouldn't, but he's fear-sick and annoyed enough to make a crude gesture at the younger. Rookwood's eyes go wide and she snarls, "Prick!"

"Hey!" Dirk reprimands. "Knock it off, the lot of you," he orders, sending each and every one one of them a withering glare. "The last thing we need is for all of us to be cross with each other before we go down into the Chamber to kill a basilisk."

Severus huffs a breath of disbelief, but otherwise gives no dissenting opinion. Rookwood still looks a bit sour, while Lily, however, nods agreeably, mouth even curving with a proud little smile. He's not surprised. He can see now Lily likes leaders and Dirk is showing that he can step into the role where and when needed.

"So who will stay up here?" Rookwood asks.

He looks between them all. There is no way in Hell he's going to let Rookwood sit out on the Chambers. He doesn't trust her alone up in the lavatory nor does he think she would make a good last defense should the snake kill them all and make its way to the entrance to terrorize the school. Lily would be a good choice he knows, she's likely the least battle-experienced given the age at which she passed. However, Severus hesitates to actually let her stay behind. She's far more fierce than Dirk and Severus is confident she won't freeze at any moment while facing off against the snake. Severus isn't sure he can say the same for Dirk and he doesn't want to have to end up having to try and protect him and kill the snake at the same time too.

Before he can make a decision, Dirk says, "I will." He turns to Lily. "You should go. I know Severus trusts you more and won't be as distracted if he's not worrying about both me and Rookwood."

Lily starts to reach for the Ravenclaw's hand, only to stop short; casting a furtive glance his way as she does so. "Are you sure?" questions the Gryffindor.

"Yes," Dirk assures, gaze softening. "Just in case, though…" his face becomes contrite as he looks at Severus. He starts to furrow his brow in response, but before Severus can finish, he fixes his face into a blank mask as the Ravenclaw steps forward, closing the gap between him and Lily, and leans down to press a brief kiss to her lips. "Be safe, okay?" he whispers. After Lily's head bobs, Dirk raises his stare to Severus and then shifts it over to Rookwood. "All of you."

It takes a moment to find words that will fit around the ball in his throat, but when he does, Severus croaks, "We will."

-O-

Severus is flanked by Lily on his right and Rookwood on his left when they come into the chamber. Under the Chamber's dim green light they pass numerous pillars covered with reliefs of snakes whose stone eyes feel as if they are following them as they slowly approach the statue of Salazar Slytherin at the Chamber's other end. Their plan for the snake is blissfully straightforward.

The three of them will go toward the mouth of Salazar's statue and the girls will stop just short of halfway there as he continues the length of the chamber. After he's flush against the statue next to Salazar's mouth, Severus will cancel the charm quieting their presence and bang on the statue, drawing out the snake. Then, when the Basilisk wakes and emerges, the girls will draw his attention and take off running for the entrance to the chamber on either side of the walkway. The girls will keep their eyes on one another, ensuring they don't meet the snake's gaze, and when the need arises shoot off hexes and curse at the basilisk whenever it gets too close to one or the other as Severus comes at the snake from behind to behead it.

That way, he never has to see its face. That way, the chances of him falling into a panic attack or flashback are muted and that way their plan is far more likely to end in success with minimal trauma for all involved. Severus knows better than to think things will go as smoothly as he plotted, but all the same, he tells himself on rote it will go smashingly and in less than an hour the four of them will have the diary destroyed and they'll be back in their classroom to celebrate with the bottle of fire whiskey Rookwood filched from her uncle's liquor cabinet.

He catches the scent of Rookwood's citrus perfume when she leans in close to whisper, "It's really inside the statue?"

"Yes!" he hisses back.

"It's not a very big opening…"

He rolls his eyes. "Snakes are flexible, they don't  _need_ large openings."

Lily nudges him. "Shh! What if you wake it before we're ready?"

Severus levels her with a stare of disappointment. "Did you really pay so little attention to the casting I was doing before we came into the chamber? We are under a quieting spell, one made for hunting beasts with acute hearing. It won't hear us until I take it off."

" _My apologies_ for being more concerned about whether or not my parents and sister would find the letter I wrote for them amongst my things if we don't come out of this alive," Lily snarks, squaring her shoulders in preparation for a row.

Rookwood looks between the two of them. "It's a dampening spell, not a silencing spell, I'd be careful about raising your voices–"

"More like you were concerned about whether you'd get that last kiss with Dirk, is like it," he snaps.

The Gryffindor's face turns into one of outrage. "What is that supposed to mean!"

Rookwood shrieks, drawing him and Lily's attention to her. "Down! Down!" she howls, throwing herself to the ground with surprising speed for one of with a stomach of her size. Severus doesn't hesitate to do the same and makes sure to grab Lily and bring her down with him when he sees out of the corner of his eye that the light of befuddlement is starting to brighten her gaze. Above them, he hears the hiss of the Basilisk. Severus resists the urge to look up and instead thinks quickly. Scrambling onto his hands and knees, he grabs onto the back of Rookwood's robe and rolls hard into Lily, pulling the Hufflepuff with him, once he sees the snakes shadow on the stone walkway in front of them.

Severus and the girls watch as the Basilisk's head collides with the ground where they were seconds earliers, before it slithers around to attempt to locate them once more. "Don't look away from its teeth!" hollers Lily, clambering to her feet and reaching for the sword she let go of when Severus rolled into her. Rookwood is following her lead and uses her own sword to pull herself up as she calls out, "Our plan can still work! Come on, Evans, this way! Snape! Get up you git and kill it!"

He tries. But his knees won't lock and his hair is already sticking to his face from the terror-sweat he's drenched in. While the Snake initially dove at Lily, trying to devour her in one fell bite, when it turns in his direction and sees him shaking like a cornered hare on the floor of the chambers, it's mouth widens to show off all it's sharp, dagger teeth at Severus before it shoots towards him. Horrified, Severus uses pure obstinance to stumble to his feet and leap out of the basilisk's way.

Severus shouts in terror when he hears the back of his robe tear. With all the adrenaline coursing through him, he isn't sure if it was just his robe that was ripped into or if his back has also been grazed by the beast's teeth. He hopes to God that he's not been cut by one of the snake's teeth, because if they don't end this quickly, it will be a death sentence.

The girls scream when they hear him yell. "Severus!" Lily shrieks.

"Hey! Come this way you overgrown  _worm_!" yowls Rookwood as he sees a light from a curse illuminate the chamber from the other side of the basilisk's bulk.

It makes a noise of pain and turns away from Severus, giving him the chance to feel his back. His fingers come away tinged with blood. He swears. Severus should have kept that damnable diary on his person at all times! If he had, he wouldn't be here now, ill-prepared, scared, and most certainly _dying_ , while trying to kill the basilisk and steal its venom.

"Severus!" shrills Lily again.

Running over to where he left his sword in favor of getting out the way of the basilisk's black hole of a maw, he picks up his weapon and hollers back, "I'm fine, Lily!" Severus has just enough of his wits about him to realize this is perhaps the biggest lie he's told her yet. He can already feel the venom working its way into his system. His skin feels like a furry suit and his fingers and toes are tingling as if he's stuck them in a Muggle electrical socket. There's not enough time for Severus to take in the true depth of his pain, however. "Keep the basilisk distracted!" he orders. "I'm going to kill it!" Using his flight spell, he rockets himself into the air.

Severus's vision is starting to blur and it appears there are two snake heads instead of one, but when it comes time to land on the basilisk's back at the base of its head, he manages, albeit with a little inaccuracy. He's more to the right than he cares for and if the beast swerves right, he may very well tumble off; Severus doesn't let that stop him from breathing, "Yes!" in victory. Immediately after, the snake picks up on his presence and starts to thrash. As he feared he may, Severus nearly falls off, but, holds off from plummeting to his death on the chamber's floors when he swings his sword around with one hand and then uses both to plunge it down into the beast's head and regain his equilibrium.

The snake gives a pain-filled scream and Severus uses all of his body-weight to dig the sword in deeper. Before he knows it, he's laid belly first on the snake's head and is only a matter of meters from the ground instead of a good kilo up in the air.

The girls are soon beside Severus on the snake's head as he struggles to pull himself into a sitting position. "It's dead!" Rookwood all but roars in his ear. "We did it!"

With clumsy hands, Severus fumbles inside his robe and pulls out the diary. "H-Here," he says through chatter teeth. Severus holds it up with a shaking arm for Lily to take. "C-Caref-ful ex-ex-ex-tracting–"

"Sev?" Lily whispers, dropping to her knees in front of him and letting the diary fall to the side. Her hands are so cold against his boiling skin he tries to pull away from them and the frostbite they are surely in the process of creating. "Sev? she repeats in a high, panicked tone when all he does is moan.

"Fuck!" curses Rookwood. "His back…"

Lily presses flush against him to look over his shoulder at his back. "No," she whispers. "This isn't happening!" she denies. Pulling back, she takes his face in her hands once more and forces him to meet her gaze. It's hard, but he manages to focus just long enough to revel in the bright green of her irises. 'This is better than last time,' he thinks to himself. 'They don't just  _look_ like Lily's eyes, they  _are_ her eyes…'

Severus gasps when his friend's fingernails cut into the skin of his jaw. "Don't you dare close your eyes, Severus Snape," she snarls. "Priscilla's sent a Patronus to Dirk. We're going to get you  _help_ and you are going to  _live_." She shakes him hard enough to make lights explode behind his eyes. "Do you hear me, Severus?"

He attempts to nod that he does, if only to alleviate the tears now spilling down her cheeks, but, suddenly, not only are the lights gone, but so is Lily, Rookwood, and the rest of the world around him. There is nothing – a  _familiar_ nothing. Severus is surprisingly okay with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading everyone!
> 
> Please let me know what you think with kudos and/or comments :)


	89. Overrunning: XIV

* * *

" _Not yet, Severus,_ " a familiar voice, but with an odd, aged quality says to him. Calloused hands take him by his shoulders and turn him around in the strange, dense mist that muddles the world around him into something abstract and unidentifiable. " _Off with you now, you've got Mum very worried."_

Severus's eyes grew and he twisted his head to look back. Through the mist, he sees a familiar pair of green eyes set in the face of an old man. Severus starts to move his mouth, trying to find something half-intelligible to utter when the man smiles and says, " _Goodbye, Severus._ "

"Wh–" he starts, only to have the mist close around him. Soon, darkness is once again all he knows.

-o-O-o-

"Severus?"

He cracks an eye open only to find everything around him is a blurry mess of colors and shapes. Furrowing his brows, he begins to blink his eyes rapidly until the fuzzy images surrounding him become defined enough for identification. He's not surprised to see Lily's elated, yet still very worried face hanging over his own. "Li–" he starts to cough – hard – and his friend's face disappears a moment before he's being helped up by another person as Lily brings a cup of water to his lips. Usually, Severus would not stand for such fussing, but he feels as if he's been hunted day and night for a week straight by a Manticore, so he relents to the treatment.

After drinking his fill, he turns his head away and allows himself to be laid back down. He takes a moment to clear his throat. "Lily?" he whispers.

Severus feels her warm fingers envelope one of his cold, numb hands. "Yes, I'm here," she tells him.

Perhaps it'd been a dream. Perhaps it hadn't. Either way, he feels compelled to say, "I saw Harry." Severus laughs, though, it sounds more like a croak in spite of the water he just drank. "He was an old man."

Lily gives a breathless giggle as she brings one of her hands up to pet his greasy, matted hair. "Do you think it was really him?" she asks.

Before Severus can answer, the mild timber of Dirk replies, "Probably. His heart did stop there for a minute."

He turns his head and sees Dirk is on the other side of his bed, behind him, he sees the back of who he's certain is Rookwood laid out on the bed next to him. Severus releases a silent, surprised breath. He never believed she would stick around to hold vigil should he, or any of them, really, get hurt. It seems he was wrong. "It did?" he mumbles instead.

"Yeah," Dirk replies, looking down on him almost kind eyes. "Dumbledore's Phoenix saved your arse."

Severus makes a face. "I suppose you've told him about us?"

Lily cringes as Dirk ducks his head. "We didn't really have a choice at that point…" Lily admits. "If we hadn't been so rattled and scared, perhaps we could have come up with a plausible story, but with how things were…" She squeezes the hand of his she's holding in her own. "I'm sorry."

He sighs. Severus knew this could be a possible outcome when he rushed them into the Chambers not half as prepared as they ought to have been. He just hopes they did a decent enough job explaining everything to Dumbledore so that Severus won't have to re-hash too much to the old man when he surely asks to speak to Severus alone. "How long was I unconscious?" he inquires.

"Nearly a week," Lily tells him.

Severus brings shaking hands up to cover his eyes. "I assume my mother was notified?"

"Yes, though, I think Albus stretched the truth a little…"

"Of course," he snorts. Why would Albus tell his mother everything? Whenever something could risk his or Hogwarts reputation the man always found a way to spin things so they came off not nearly as bad as they actually were. He lifts his hands from his eyes when he begins to see stars. "Has anyone else been by to visit me? Or has Poppy shooed them all away?"

Lily shakes her head. "No, you've had visitors. Sage has come by every day you've been here. He was pretty upset the first time and asked if this was all his fault," she meets his gaze. "I assured him it wasn't and that as soon as you were better you'd tell him the same thing." She tightens her grip on his hand. "Don't make me a liar, okay?" she tells him with a teasing quality, though, he thinks he sees true anxiety and guilt lurking behind the light facade her face is shaped in.

He nods. "Anyone else?"

"Sirius, Regulus, the Scabiors and even their cousin once, um… Mei popped in another time with Scabior and James, Remus, and Peter all came with me one time," Lily rattles off for him on her fingers.

Severus isn't sure why, but he finds himself miffed that so many came to see him while he was indisposed. He spends so much time with all of these people that he really shouldn't be shocked they would come to visit him, but still, he is. It's hard to grasp that he's no longer the hated bat of the dungeons, but a rather liked mate of a handful of Hogwarts students. While he'll be happy enough to see the rest, he hopes Sage comes by for another visit soon. He hates to think how distraught his brother must be. Especially with how he left things between them before he went to destroy the diary–

He almost leaps from his bed, but is stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder. "Whoah, what's wrong?" questions Dirk.

Looking frantically around, he gasps, "The– Diary–"

Lily leans over the top of him and takes his face in both of her hands. Softly, she begins to hush him. "Shh," she whispers. "Shh, it's taken care of, I promise." She tips her head towards Rookwood's sleeping form. "While we waited for help, Priscilla tended to the diary while I took care of you." Her fingers touch turns sharp a moment. "I  _watched_ her plunge your basilisk-venom coated sword into the diary."

Severus lays back down and turns boneless with relief and a new wave of exhaustion. Struggling to fight his drooping eyelids, he asks with a faint tired, slur, "And you gathered a vial of poison? For the others?"

"Yes, Priscilla filed two bottles. She gave one to me and has the other. I'm not sure what she plans to do with it, but we can worry about that later."

He sighs and gives up on fighting the pull of sleep. "Good," he replies before drifting off.

-o-O-o-

The next time Severus wakes, it's to the sound of utensils scrapping on ceramic. He rolls his eyes in the direction of the noise and sees it's Sage eating what appears to be dinner on the bed to his right. Though, the more he watches, the more it looks like Sage is really just pushing it around on his plate and that his focus is elsewhere.

Unfortunately for his brother, he has more worries than most. Severus imagines right now he's fretting about him, or maybe Boyd, perhaps the diary that no longer exists. He's still tired and wants to close his eyes again and rest a little longer, but knows he shouldn't. Sage and he are going to have work through things sooner rather than later and it's best they start now.

"Sage," he says.

The teenager startles, nearly knocking his plate from the bed and spilling his dinner all over the covers. "Bugger!" he swears.

Severus cringes. "Sorry," he tells his brother. He hadn't meant to scare him so badly.

Sage looks over between cleaning charms and tells him, "No, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting you to wake up again so soon."

"So soon?"

His brother nods as he comes to sit in the empty chair next to his bed. "Yes," he replies, "You woke up this morning right before breakfast and Lily told me when she came in to eat. But she said that Poppy didn't think you'd wake up again today, so I shouldn't get my hopes up when I visited you."

He half-snorts with amusement. "Yes, well, I rarely meet expectations."

"That's true," agrees Sage with a chuckle.

After his laughter dies off, a tense silence fills the air. It's uncomfortable and even though he's nowhere near his best physically, mentally, or emotionally, Severus manages to recall that Lily asked him to reassure Sage what happened to him wasn't his fault. He has no problem imbuing sincerity in his voice when he says, "Everything… From you lifting the diary, to what happened in the Great Hall when I took it back, and my… near death experience, are not your fault. Do you understand? None of this would have happened if I properly secured the diary in the first place." He flashes Sage a weak grin (though, he's sure it looks more like a grimace). "Even from you, the only person I've ever dared to consider a sibling."

"I'm still sorry," Sage says a moment later in a rush. "I  _knew_ I shouldn't take it, but I–" he furrows his brow. "I couldn't help myself. It was like I  _had_ to have that diary or none at all." His shoulders fall and he drops his gaze to his lap. "After it started writing back, I decided I couldn't put it back – even if it was just to store it until later. I wanted it with me to write in whenever I felt like it."

Severus pinches the bridge of his nose after Sage finishes his babbling explanation. Merlin, is he relieved they got it away from Sage when they did. He doesn't even want to begin to imagine how much longer it would have taken the diary to gather enough of Sage's life-force to kill him and resurrect the younger version of Tom Riddle. "It's understandable," he tells Sage. "The diary did have something not too different from a compulsion charm on it."

"Oh," his brother mumbles. "I thought I was being silly when I thought it felt like there was one on it. I mean why would you have a diary with a compulsion charm on it?" his tone takes an accusatory edge at that and Severus knows he's actually questioning him and not just offering his thought process.

He groans and covers his eyes with one of his arms. This is the part he's not been looking forward too. Finally, he removes his arm and explains, "I had it for safe keeping until I could destroy it."

"Why did it need to be destroyed?"

Severus looks at Sage, he can see his fingers are fiddling with the hem of his robe and he's leaning in now, intensely interested in what Severus is imparting to him. He also has a feeling he's trying to find out if the diary still exists. Thankfully, it doesn't and he hopes once he tells Sage, he'll forget about it and not resent him too much. "It was a Horcrux," he explains.

His brother makes a face of confusion. "What?"

"A Horcrux, " he repeats, "is an evil object made by murdering someone and splitting your soul to put in said object. Theoretically, you can live forever if you have one."

Sage makes a horrified face – as he should. "How in the Hell did you get one?"

"You're best off not knowing," Severus says, closing that line of questioning. There are many things he's willing to speak with Sage about now, but where he got it from is not one of them.

As he expected, Sage seems a bit put off by his reply. He turns quiet a moment as he thins his lips into a thoughtful line. Finally, he asks, "How do you know about Horcruxes? Why was it you who was in charge of looking after and destroying one? And not an adult?" He looks troubled by his final question, Sage knows only the barest details right now and it's obviously painted a horrific picture in his mind where, somehow, someway, someone entrusted the job of a man to a boy.

"That is a terribly long and unpleasant story," he informs his brother. He reaches for his brother's hand, which he gives with easy trust. Severus thinks he will miss this most. Sage's deep well of trust has been refreshing these past few years and he knows once the teenager knows the whole story he is unlikely to ever believe he is telling him the whole truth about anything again.

Meeting the flinty blue eyes of Sage, he warns him, "It's a dangerous one for you to know too and I don't think you'll ever see me quite the same if I tell you it all."

Sage's face unsettles further and he begins to nervously rub the palm of his free hand on his trousers. "I don't–" he stammers, "Will you–?

"Ah, Mr. Snape. You are awake," a voice breaks in from behind them, causing the pair to jolt. They both look over to see the headmaster is standing in the doorway of the now open infirmary. Severus glowers at him, irritated to have his conversation with Sage interrupted.

Snipply, he replies, "Indeed I am. As you can see, however, I am rather busy at the moment."

The old man seems a both amused and surprised by his rudeness. "I only need but a bit of your time," he says.

Severus is about to tell him he can have that bit of time  _later_ and to bugger off until then, but Sage squeezes his hand and says, "Talk with the Headmaster. I think… I need some time. I don't know if I really want to know everything you're saying you'll tell me." He offers Severus a strained smile. "The little you've already told me is rather upsetting and I don't know if I can stomach knowing more – especially since I'm almost certain you'll swear me to secrecy when you're done."

He lets go of Severus's hand and rises to a stand. "And I'm not sure if I can stomach any more secrets right now." With that, he turns heel and hurries for the open doorway.

After him, Severus calls, "Sage!" as he struggles to sit up. However, his brother is already out in the corridor and on his way to being far, far away from Severus by the time his wobbling arms are holding him up in a sitting position.

"Shall we, Mr. Snape?" Albus inquires, easing himself down in the chair his brother vacated only seconds before.

Severus can't help himself, but he bares his teeth. "It's not as if I have much of a choice, is there?" he sneers.


	90. Overrunning: XV

* * *

Albus makes himself comfortable; he crosses his legs and steeples his hand in his lap. Once finished, he turns his assessing gaze on him and asks, "Severus, how are you feeling?"

He scoffs in disbelief. This is how the man wishes to start his interrogation? With  _small talk_? In spite of his best attempts, Severus cannot understand the workings of Albus's mind. Perhaps it's for the best. If he did, he'd likely trust him even less than he does. "Peachy," he drawls when the silence beings to draw on between them.

The headmaster nods. "I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. From your friends' accounts of the last few days before your…  _adventure_ it seems you were not at your best."

Severus purses his lips. "No, I will concede I was not," he admits with some reluctance. He can see that now. Panic and fear had driven far more than he should have let it and he is now beginning to wonder if the diary didn't addle him some too, especially during the days he kept it on his person after stealing it back from Sage. "Though, I do not believe many would be, given the situation I had found myself in."

"Too right," Albus agrees. "Even the most rational amongst us can lose sense when those closest to them are threatened."

In spite of himself, he relaxes. Albus may be many less than good things, but Severus knows no other who can put others at ease as well as he. Feeling a little more like sharing as long as it will not be about himself or his failures, he says, "Sage died prematurely once already. If I can help it, he will not again – especially not earlier than last time." He meets the old man's blue eyes directly. "That's what the diary would done, it would have killed him."

Albus nods, a hand reaching up to give his beard a thoughtful stroke. "It's admirable what you did," tone turning meaningful, he adds, "and have done." He moves to touch one of Severus's hands laying on the sheets Severus rests beneath, but he pulls away before Albus can. Severus knows the old man is going to say something that will sting and the last thing he wishes to have before the slap is the deception of kindness. Undeterred by his actions, Albus tells him, "However, I do wonder if you've lost sense of the value of your own life in your quests to end Voldemort."

Severus's mouth parts, yet no words come. Finally, after a long moment to overcome his shock, he says, "I wanted vengeance, and, for a time, I had it. Then he came back and I still wanted him dead for killing one of the few I've ever cared for, but I was growing tired. When I died, I was comfortable with it. I would have liked to see Voldemort's end first, but I've never gotten what I wanted so I accepted that I would have to trust Lily's son would see his death through as  _you_  primed him to do. I will not deny my death hurt and I felt terror when I could no longer breath, but then I was gone and it was dark and I felt, no matter how briefly, true quiet and tranquility."

He turns his gaze to his thin, ungainly teenage-hands and curls them into loose fists. The brief moments of death he experienced fill his sweetest dreams. When it comes time for him to die again, he will go gladly to experience that feeling of peace once more. However, he is no fool. That time is far, far away. Lifting his chin, he says to the old man, "You are wrong. I may yearn for that peace, but I do not want to die – not now. I have much to accomplish yet."

The old man hums in a low, considerate tone. "I see. Your friends are worried, however."

"Lily reads far too much into my carelessness," he replies primly, believing with all of him it's her who brought up concerns to Albus. Even now, they rarely understand each other fully and she often misreads his intentions from his actions. "I acknowledge this is the closest we've come to death in several years and I don't blame her for thinking perhaps it was purposeful. Horcruxes do not bring out the best in anyone." He tips his head at the man. "You will not know this first-hand this time if I can help it, but you knew before. In my first reality."

Albus uses his remark as the segway Severus knows was coming eventually. "This first reality, as you and the others call it, your friends have told me quite a bit of what they experienced and know from you. However, there are questions I would like to ask to clarify–"

He shakes his head. "No." Never let it be said Severus isn't spiteful, because that's all he feels when he says the word. "Perhaps another time." He understands eventually he will have to. There is so much more that he knows than Lily, Dirk, and Priscilla, that it will become inevitable. What he can share, especially when it comes to Death Eaters as individuals, could be key to Albus's Order beating them in the near future. Yet Severus has been feeling less than giving towards the man since he scared off Sage. Slowly easing himself back down to a laying position, Severus says, "I'm rather tired."

The man's face is nonplussed before it shapes into something more neutral. "Very well," he says. "Thank you for speaking with me in spite of your fatigue as long as you have." Getting to his feet, he tells him, "My door is open to you whenever you are ready to speak of matters – or anything else."

"Yessir," Severus mumbles, turning onto his side so he will not have to look at the old man any longer.

However, the man doesn't walk more than a couple of steps before he tells Severus, "I would strongly consider not telling Mr. Montague your past when you see him next. It's quite a lot to put on a boy's shoulders and I imagine he will feel quite betrayed to find you are not who you've portrayed yourself to be to him."

He goes taut with fury, but refuses to sit up or react in any way. He waits until Albus is gone before he pulls his pillow over his face and growls deadly curses. Who does the headmaster think he is to lecture Severus in any way about truths and lies? Or about putting too much of a burden on a boy? When they next talked, Severus was going to make sure Albus knew just how little room he had to speak (Lily obviously failed!).

In spite of his foul mood and the fact he actually hadn't been all that tired, soon, Severus drifts off into rest once again.

-o-O-o-

He looks at her. For a time, Priscilla continues the ruse of not noticing, idly picking at her filthy nails as she does so. However, she doesn't last for more than a couple of minutes before she turns her gaze on him, vexed and firey as she spits, "Must you always do that?"

"What?" Severus replies with purposeful obtuseness.

Priscilla rolls her eyes. "I'm only here because Evans asked me to be. She has Quidditch practice and Cresswell had to meet with a housemate to work on their Herbology project."

He smirks. It's obvious to him the Hufflepuff is making up excuses. "Have I been worrying you?"

For a moment, she glares. Then, crossing her arms, she grumbles, "How can you be so clever and stupid at the same time?"

Severus snorts in amusement. Dryly, he tells her, "I'm blaming the Horcux, but I'm sure if you spoke to Lily she would tell you this not new behavior for me."

"You need to be more careful," Priscilla warns him in a scolding tone. "If you die, it will be me and the Muggle-borns and the very thought makes me  _sick_. Neither one is half as intelligent as you."

He doesn't know how to respond to her (offensive) remark. He'd thought it Lily who was worried he was suicidal, but maybe it's Priscilla who voiced her worries to Albus. It makes far more sense, he supposes, she doesn't know him half as well as Lily. He's also rather certain she has plans for him that she has yet to share and he bets the thought of them coming to ruins even before she can so much as voice them has left her quite rattled.

"That's a lie," he says, "Dirk and Lily are both very clever."

Priscilla frowns, but otherwise doesn't argue with him. Thank Merlin. He's not sure he has the energy for a row with the Hufflepuff. After a moment, Severus clears his throat. "Thank you, by the way, for your help in the Chambers. Lily says you ended up being quite invaluable."

She blinks, apparently miffed by his gratitude. "Uh-huh," she finally replies, tone a mixture of dumbfounded and suspicious.

"From what I recall, you were very brave," Severus adds, thinking back to how she distracted the snake. "I reckon things would have taken a deadly turn without you."

The Hufflepuff seems to bolster up from this praise, finally realizing he is sincere in his thanks and compliments. "Undoubtedly," she agrees, smiling slightly. "I don't understand why you insisted on going down there if you're so terrified of giant snakes."

"It was not my best decision," he admits. "But it did work out in the end."

"Yes, and that's all that matters, isn't it?" she says, tone derisive.

Severus sighs and rolls his eyes. It seems the shock has worn off and Priscilla is her passive aggressive self – as usual. Seeing no reason to beat around the bush, he asks, "Lily mentioned something else too, in regards to you."

Priscilla crosses her arms and leans back in her seat. "Oh?"

"You took a vial of poison for yourself," Severus continues. "I'm curious why you did."

She shifts around in her seat and looks to her lap. "It's not important," she tries.

He laughs at her. "Yes, keep a vial or extremely dangerous, restricted poison or yourself isn't significant  _at all._ "

The Hufflepuff mutters something to herself under her breath (an insult, perhaps?) and looks up. "I need it," she tells him. "I think… I  _know_ where another Horcrux is going to be. If things are still on course with the Death Eaters, just before the end of winter hols Bellatrix Lestrange will commit such an atrocity she earns the Lord's deepest respect." Eyes taking a far-off glaze she rambles, "I don't know why he picked my home, maybe because my father and uncle were friends with Rodolphus's father? And he thought it'd be unlikely anyone would think much of them visiting? Or that it was an obscure enough location no one would think he'd be there with one of his Horcruxes? I don't know and I guess it doesn't truly matter. What does is the lord had them come to my parents' manor and I watched as he gave her Helga Hufflepuff's cup. That's one of the Horcruxes, yes? When better than to destroy it than then?"

She looks uncertain once more as she adds, "I know the timing will be a must for everything to go well and with my and my family's lives, but I've been writing down different possible ways to destroy it for ages. They're all in my diary, I thought maybe you could look at them and tell me which is the best. I've grown too nearsighted to the problem and I think my objectivity's nearly gone."

As astounded as he is by what he's hearing and Priscilla's request, Severus still has enough sense to nod his head and say, "Yes, I can help you. I will be out of the infirmary tomorrow. We can meet after classes in our classroom to look at your plots."

Priscilla flashes a grin of relief. "Brilliant," she replies. "I'll see you tomorrow." Getting to her feet, she tells him, "Sleep well, Snape."

"You too," he returns, watching her leave the healing halls.


	91. Overrunning: XVI

Typically, Severus thinks little of showers. It's just a means to cleanse the day's grime from his body, but after so long in the infirmary, he hadn't been able to help himself from luxuriating in the warm spray of water. When he steps out of the stall, he's calm and as relaxed as he can be these days. All of that changes, however, when he pulls back the towel he's using to dry his hair to see Sage at the bathroom's sink, mouth filled with suds.

"Oh," his brother garbles. Turning to the sink, he spits into it, clearing out his mouth. "Pomfrey released you tonight?" he asks.

Severus nods as he settles the towel in his hand around his shoulders. "Yes, right after dinner."

An awkward silence befalls them. Sage averts his gaze to the sink, fidgeting with one of his pajamas buttons as Severus sighs and turns to gather his own jimjams and robe to put on. When he's dressed, he says, "I know the last I saw you things didn't end very well… Do you want to go and chat somewhere?"

Sage worries his lip a moment before he nods. "Yes," he answers. "I've thought about everything and… I think I want to know. All of it." He finally meets Severus's gaze and says, "I just want to know one thing. Do you think I will regret it?"

He finds himself voiceless.  _Will_ Sage? He's worried for his brother a very long time; he was never close to him in his first reality and can't say what exactly broke him enough to decide to die. Oh, he's made guesses and mused on it more than he cares to admit, but that only goes so far. What Severus does know with certainty is Sage is not hard-hearted enough for being a soldier of war. He is melancholic bordering on morose at times and has seen enough horror for his short life. Whatever happened during his time as a Death Eater broke him to a point of no return, could what Severus tells Sage about his other self and who he really is do the same?

He's afraid of what the answer might be.

Finally, he finds it in himself to ask, "Do you think _you'll_ regret it if I never tell you?"

This question appears to surprise his brother, as his face turns strained with the consideration he puts into his reply, "I… I might." He nods. "If you died and I never got to know how you came to have that Horcrux or why… I'd regret never hearing whatever you want to tell me now."

Severus dips his chin in understanding. Even so, he takes it upon himself to offer Sage one more out. "Lily knows, as does Dirk Cresswell, and Priscilla Rookwood," he tells his brother. "If, Merlin forbid, something  _were_ to happen to me they could tell you everything just as well as I."

Sage shakes his head in denial. "No, they couldn't. They aren't you. They aren't my  _brother_."

It's touching to know Sage places just as much value on their relationship as he does. It's also soul-crushing to realize that it may all change in the next few hours once he tells Sage the truth – about everything. Severus moves forward and wraps Sage in a tight embrace. His brother's stunned a moment, but returns it with the same fervor in the next. He needs this to remember Sage by… Just in case it all falls apart and he no longer has a brother when the night is over.

When he lets Sage go, he says, "Come one, I know a perfect place I can tell you everything."

-o-O-o-

"Sage? Will you at least say  _something_?"

He ignores Severus and stares across the dark classroom at the chalkboard holding messily erased plots of Severus and his fellow time-travelers. Merlin,  _time-travelers_. Could they even be called such? He has to wonder. They aren't like those who use time-turners. Their souls were what traveled time. Or realities, perhaps. Severus didn't seem quite sure himself. Sage stiffened at the thought. What has happened to the Severus who inhabited the body before this adult took it? Is the boy dead? Could it really be called death? After all, Severus is still Severus… Just a Severus who's already been that boy and is now (to him, anyhow) reliving boyhood.

At least it's not his fault. Not that part, anyhow. That lays with Rookwood and that woman in the other reality who sent them all back into the past and spurred this new existence into creation. Sage still isn't entirely sure what he feels, but does know he itches beneath his collar. It's a burning hotness that could very well turn into rage once his shock dies down. While  _of course_ Severus and the others couldn't go around telling everyone who and what they really are, it still feels so much like he's been lied to –  _for years_.

Here he thought they knew everything about one another, or at least that they were getting there.

And the  _things_ Severus has told him. Voldemort is evil? He'll bring ruin to them all? It's his cause that likely drives him to someday follow in his father's footsteps? Sage can hardly believe it. It sounds so  _wrong_. Boyd has told him the Death Eaters are going to usher in a new era. They're going to clean out all of the muck and make sure only the best witches and wizards remain, and, someday, the  _whole world_ will be theirs and they'll no longer have to hide like cowards from the Muggles. His older brother promised it's a good thing, children like Severus won't be born anymore, witches and wizards alike won't be brought to ruin by their evil, jealous Muggle lovers.

He doesn't know what to believe anymore and the turmoil that's driven him into insomnia feels ripe to bubble over. He wonders if maybe he should find a way to make himself sick over Christmas Hols so Boyd won't try to bring him to a Death Eater meeting like he's been hinting he wants to in his letters. It's his OWL year, perhaps he can avoid going home at all. But his mother… She's looking forward to a Christmas dinner with  _all_ of their family, Boyd's new wife, Severus and Aunt Eileen included.

How can he disappoint her when all she wants is one damn dinner?

Sage flinches when Severus's hand brushes over his shoulder. "Stop," he says. "Don't touch me!"

The other backs off. "Sorry," he mumbles. "I just…" he trails off into a sigh.

He goes back to ignoring him in favor of sorting through the mess in his head. His astoundment is starting to fade and that itching beneath his collar is now almost certainly anxiety, not anger. Sage may not know if he agrees with Severus that Voldemort is no good, or if he sides with Boyd and thinks he's what their world needs to fix the problems he's noticing more and more around them, but he does know one thing for certain:

Sage does not regret getting the whole story from Severus.

What he does is that things will never be the same. They can't go back. Severus is… He'll never stop being his brother, he's certain of that much, but now he knows exactly what side Severus is on. Someday soon, he's going to throw all the care his family has shown him in their faces and side with those who oppose the Lord. Sage doesn't know if he'll ever be able to do that – even if he comes to agree with him. His mother and brother will be hurt enough with Severus's denouncement of their family (and Aunt Eileen's too, Sage has no doubts she'll agree with Severus) and he doesn't want to make it worse by following Severus's lead.

Perhaps this is why he killed himself in Severus's first reality. He almost wants to  _now_. He knows whatever he does, he'll fail someone. Hurt them and burn the bridges between them. Already he knows if he does follow through with the thought and kill himself… He'll make sure not to do it outright. It'll be in an obscure way, like a "potions accident" that will let his mother and brother pretend he didn't mean to. Leave them being able to say it was purely an accident and not something he planned. It will still hurt them, of course, but far less than it will if he were to off himself like his father did. They can talk about what a tragedy it was to lose him, about all the brilliant things he'd have someday done if he lived, make a perfect version of him in their memories that is everything he's not…

He won't become a dirty secret of the Montague family like Father.

Sage shakes his head. He has to let the idea go, at least for a few years, anyhow. If anything were to happen to him now, Severus would see right through and blame himself. That's the last thing he wants for Severus to feel he's at fault for  _his_  choice. Severus has always taken too much of the burdens of others on himself already and shared little of his own, he doesn't need to make it worse if he can help it.

Finally, Sage breathes and turns to his brother. "This is all far beyond anything I could have ever imagined," he tells him. "But… With some time to process it all, I think by the time we go home for hols next month, we'll be okay. Things won't  _really_ ever be the same or perfect, mind, but I imagine we'll be able to fool our mums and Boyd into thinking everything's the same as always."

There is doubt lurking in his brother's black eyes, but he nods. "We wouldn't want them to fret," he agrees.

He finds himself smirking. "No." Standing up, he says, "Shall we go to bed?"

Severus snorts. "I guess we should. Morning's only a few hours away now."

-o-O-o-

In spite of agreeing to his brother's suggestion, Severus does not go to bed. He simply waits for Sage to drop off and then he gets up and leaves their dorm to walk the familiar path to Lily's dorm. Letting himself in Gryffindor's common room, he stays mindful of the firstie sleeping on a sofa and sends off a patronus to Lily.

A few minutes later, she appears; sleep ruffled, but awake and brow already furrowed with concern. "What is it, Sev?" she asks.

He leans in, breathes in the soft, warm smell of slumber off her and lays his head down on her shoulder. They aren't lovers, or siblings, nor mother and son, but they are friends. Old friends who've been more and less with what is surely a bond full of cracks and jagged tears mended roughly that glows yellow and bright like a candle in the darkness.

Sometimes, he wonders, when they've finally ( _finally_ ) done it and defeated Voldemort once and for all if they'll fade out of each other's lives now that the purpose that brought them together again is gone. He's never asked, fearing what he may learn, and he's done what he can to guard himself in case it does happen, but now… Now Severus can't find it in himself to care if they will one day be strangers again.

He needs Lily – the only one who's ever remotely understood him to be here and be strong for him.

Lily puts a hand on back. "What's happened?" she whispers. Her fingers begin to creep up and slowly pick at the knots in his hair he never got a chance to comb out after his shower. Severus shudders. "I told him," he breathes.

Lily's quiet a moment. Finally, she replies, "Sage?"

He nods against her shoulder.

She continues to work the tangles from his hair. "How did it go? Did he… Did he take it well?"

"He says we'll be okay, but…" Severus trails off.

Lily pulls her hand away and twists her neck so she can look down at his face. "What?"

Severus lifts his head to meet her shimmering gaze. "I don't think  _he_ will be."

Her lip quivers and she pulls him back against her in a sheltering hug. "I'm so sorry, Severus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you feel about this chapter? Liked it? Disliked it?
> 
> Thanks a million for reading and please let me know your thoughts with a comment and/or kudo :)


	92. Overrunning: XVII

Their legs are tangled together beneath his sheets and in the dim light filtering through the curtains of his bed, he can just make out the features of Lily's face across from him. He smiles at her, which she returns. Shifting forward to bring her warm body flush against his own, he murmurs, "So he really did it? Severus told the Montague boy?"

Lily sighs into his neck. "Mm, yes, he did."

Dirk turns so he's on his back and pulls Lily to rest comfortably atop him. Playing with her thick locks of red hair, he asks, "How did the lad take it? Swallow it alright? Or did Severus have to… do something  _drastic_?"

His girlfriend gives a soft hum before she answers, "Oh, Sage took Severus being a time-traveler well enough— I imagine quite a lot of things made sense to him then about Severus. It's the other news that didn't go over too well."

Dirk picks up his head to gaze at the crown of Lily's head. "Other news?" he questions, confused.

Lily nods her head against his chest and curls a little closer to him. "That they weren't, and aren't, on the same side of the war."

He frowns. Aren't on the same side? How can Sage possibly consider being anything but being anti-You-Know-Who after everything Severus told him? While he doesn't get the impression Severus believes everyone deserves the same rights in the magical world, he knows there's no way he tried to soften He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's atrocities for the boy. Severus hates You-Know-Who just as much as the rest of them. Pulling Lily slightly away from him so she has to crane her neck to look up at him, he demands, "Are you having a laugh at me? The Montague boy's  _still_ thinking about siding with You-Know-Who after all Severus told him about the future?"

Her eyes are sad when she meets his gaze. "Oh, Dirk, you know nothing is ever simple. Even more so when it comes to Slytherins."

Dirk huffs in aggravation. Of  _course_ he understands that… Yet if knowing his supposed "Lord" is nearly a fairytale monster isn't enough to make him side with them, what will? "I understand what you're saying, but I just can't wrap my head around it!" he exclaims in a hushed whisper, still fearing somehow he'll wake his dormmates even with a silencing spell on his bed. Dirk looks to his girlfriend once more, knowing he's going to sound like a dolt, but unable to help himself, Dirk asks, "How much did he tell you exactly about what happened? Did Severus say to you he told the lad one way or another it  _is_ He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named who caused him to die? That either the madman drove him to take his own life, or he died serving him?"

Lily's face scrunches with a mixture of affront on her friend's behalf and displeasure towards him. "Yes, Severus told Sage that exactly!"

"Sorry!" he says. "Sorry, I just…" Dirk sighs. He doesn't think he'll ever understand the workings of a Slytherin mind and he doesn't know how to explain to Lily just how difficult it is to simply accept that Montague hasn't been swayed by the horror Severus surely shared with him. Making the decision to shift topics, Dirk questions, "How's Severus taking it all? He considers Montague his brother, right? I can only imagine the devastation he's going through, knowing that what he told Montague isn't enough to shake him out of his path."

His girlfriend settles back down on his chest, tracing invisible shapes into his chest. "Afterwards, he came to me," says Lily.

"Oh?"

She nods. "Yes, after he realized that his foreknowledge wasn't enough to persuade Sage there and then, he sought me out. It's been ages since he last cried on my shoulder, but he came and… This will sound selfish, but I was so happy," she murmurs to him. Lily's fingers stop their ministrations and she pulls them into her palm, creating a loose fist which she rests solidly on top of him. " _He came to me_. I feel as if things are finally good between us again and we're stronger mates for it." Lily half-buries her face in his side. "I should be more upset for Severus, and about Sage," admits Lily, "and I  _am_  sad for them. Severus is just heartbroken knowing all he's done might be for naught with Sage. Oh, and Sage! He's so misguided and obviously only wants to please  _all_ of those he loves, but he's Severus's, not mine." Almost inaudibly, she says, "Severus is mine."

Dirk tenses. What is that supposed to mean? Lily told him she had nothing but platonic feelings for him when they started this. "Yours?" he questions, tone more accusatory than he plans for.

Lily glances up at him, lips curling distastefully. "Don't give me that look," she chides. "Severus and I have a history that's been strained and broken and mended and strained some more, only to be fixed again. We're bonded for life, him and I." Pulling herself up onto her elbows, she admits, "But before this morning's early visit, I was afraid I had managed to finally ruin our relationship once and for all— Which isn't something I had wanted to do. You have to understand, love, Severus is all I have left of my past, of Harry, James, Remus, Sirius, and so, so many others. I loved my past, still do, in fact. I feel closer to those gone when I'm with Severus."

Abruptly, she leans forward and grabs Dirk's face in both hands, her thumb creating small circles on his cheeks as she gazes down at him with her ethereal green gaze. "And while I cherish Severus and want to keep him close to me always, he's not who I want to  _be with_. Dirk, I hope I don't scare you, but every day, I feel more certain we'll be together forever. Our future has only become clearer and clearer to me. There will be many, many happy days to come for us."

For a moment, he's stunned. He's felt quite strongly about Lily for some time, but hasn't voiced it in fear of this not being something lasting. To know she feels the same as he does… Dirk smiles and covers Lily's hands with his own. He doesn't know what he's done to deserve a girl like Lily, but he's thankful every day for the gift his past-wife gave him. Sometimes, he still feels guilty that there will be nothing between him and Mei in this reality, but it grows less with each passing moment with Lily. Mei had to have known what would be lost when she sent them back; this was a sacrifice she made  _for him_. He'd do his part to live a good, joy-filled life and make a world that the Mei here, and whatever children they had, could live happily in too.

Dirk leans forward and captures Lily's mouth in a long kiss. When he pulls away, he breathes, "I love you, Lily.

"And I love you."

-o-O-o-

Severus stares at Priscilla over his simmering potion. The Hufflepuff is gnawing absently on a fingernail, a half-finished divination assignment in front of her. Pulling her thumb finger from her mouth after a disgusting snap, she spits the part she's bitten off on the floor and sighs. "I hate divination," she says. "I remembered liking it as a girl, but now? I must have been more creative then, because I can hardly ever 'predict' the future now." Scribbling what looks to be the start of a sentence down on her parchment, she mutters, "I'm dropping it next year and taking up something  _useful_ like Ancient Runes."

He barely conceals his scoff. "Oh? Do housewives spend a lot of time reading and translating ancient texts?"

She shoots him a glare, but doesn't say anything. For a few minutes, silence reigns between them as he adds bicorn horn to his potion and she finishes writing her latest thought down on her assignment. When he's done with stirring in the bicorn, Severus looks back over at Priscilla and says, "I have been thinking about your dilemma."

She looks up and frowns, her eyes go to her assignment a moment before returning to him. "My… dilemma?"

Severus huffs and rolls his eyes. Why would he be offering her help with  _that_? Severus has never had much time for that poppycock (except that once, with Sybill and Albus, and look how  _that_ turned out) and is not a fanciful man. What Severus has to conclude from this interaction is that while Priscilla is perhaps not quite as dull as her son or husband, she's certainly not a genius by any means. Checking the time on his watch to make a mental note when he began to let his potion simmer, he snaps, "Not your bloody assignment! The one to do with Hufflepuff's cup!"

Priscilla breaks out in ugly, loud laughter. "Oh, my apologies! I should have just  _known_ that's what you meant from such vague and superficial wording!"

He crosses his arms in disgust and asks, "Merlin, must you turn everything into a row?"

"Must  _you_?" demands the Hufflepuff, fat cheeks flushed red and eyes small with her contempt.

Severus shows her his teeth as he hisses through them, "Do you wish to hear my thoughts or would you rather bungle it all up and get us all killed?"

"I doubt we'll  _all_ end up dead," she mutters mulishly.

Raising his voice, Severus proclaims, "We certainly will  _wish_ we all were after your ham-fisted attempt to steal the cup under the Lord and Bellatrix Lestrange's noses."

Priscilla turns her body away from him and grumbles, "Oh, shut up!"

Severus start to levitate ingredients away into their bottles and pack them up in the tiny cupboard he's repurposed to hold them all in the classroom. "Fine, I'll just leave–"

"No, no!" she begs, hopping to her feet. "Don't start up that business. Just tell me already, would you? I promise I'll keep my mouth shut until you finish."

He pauses in his clean up to stare at her a moment. Her stance is tense, but the aggression in her features has now been replaced with quiet pleading. He sighs and continues what he was doing, but slower than before. Gaze on the desktop as he spells it clean, he inquires, "Does your family know Demitri Prince in a substantial way?"

When Severus looks up from the desk, he sees the Hufflepuff open her mouth, only to close it a tick later. He watches on with growing impatience as Priscilla scrunches her face in thought. Finally, just after he's turned his attention to bringing down the fire beneath his potion to embers, she says, "My grandfather and grandmother occasionally have him over for drinks, actually," she admits. "Grandmother and his late wife were good friends from their Hogwarts days. From their stories, I think Mrs. Prince was Grandmother's transfiguration tutor for six of her years at Hogwarts. Mr. Prince and Grandfather have always gotten on quite well too. They both bet on the horses at the races and Mr. Prince has done a lot of advising of Grandfather in financial matters."

Severus releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. His back up had been to go to Albus for assistance for Priscilla— And he still isn't sure that would have been the best choice. The headmaster may have known a way to somehow pull Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange away from the Rookwood home and have people at ready to steal the cup from them, but then Voldemort would know  _they_ know what he's doing. What then? Would Voldemort find out they've destroyed the diary? Try to infiltrate Hogwarts to steal Ravenclaw's diadem and hide it elsewhere? Merlin forbid, make another Horcrux?

"Brilliant," Severus says. "I'll write him a letter to let him know we need to speak with him."

Priscilla tilts her head. "What do you think he can do?"

Severus does his best not to smirk or sound too excited as he explains, "I believe we can find a way for him to be there the day Voldemort uses your home to transfer the cup into Bellatrix's hands. I am certain with him assisting you, we can steal it without them ever realizing it."

Eyes wide at the idea, the Hufflepuff replies, "Really? You think he—  _We_ can do that? Just the two of us?" Twisting her fingers together anxiously, she says, "I agreed to come back because I wanted to save my family's lives, not just the Rookwood's reputation. This seems extremely risky."

He moves around the table to go and lay a hand on the Hufflepuff's shoulder and meet her gaze. "Yes," he says. "I think you two will be able to manage this. I wouldn't suggest it otherwise," he assures her. Then, after a moment of hesitation, offers, "But if you are still uneasy after our discussion with Demitri about this plan, I will tell you my other one and let you choose."

Gratitude shines in her dark gaze as she relaxes beneath his hand. "Alright," Priscilla replies, "I can agree to that."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd you guys like the chapter?
> 
> Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts with a comment and/or kudo!


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